P-05-774 Pass Wide and Slow Wales – Correspondence from the petitioner to the Committee, 11.07.18

 

 

David J Rowlands AC/AM

Chair

National Assembly for Wales Petitions Committee

Cardiff Bay

Cardiff

CF99 1NA

 

 

 

Dear Chair/David Rowlands,

 

 

We welcome the responses that have been received to date from both the Gwent and North Wales Police and Crime Commissioners, and the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport Ken Skates. Likewise the BHS are doing fantastic and innovative work to make a difference including ‘Operation Safe Pass’ with local police forces.

 

Other positive developments include the formation of a Wales Equine Crime Group being led by South Wales Police.  Members of the group include the four Welsh police forces, PWAS Wales, the BHS, WG and other interested stakeholders. The inaugural meeting is being held on July 24th.

 

As residents of Wales we fully understand the pressures that Welsh Government face including; cuts in public spending, Brexit, increased demand for Health & Social Care services and Education, which may make the safety of riders and carriage drivers less of a priority. But that said the PWAS Wales community are residents of Wales, we are the voters, and tax payers and our children will be the future generation of voters.  PWAS Wales want to ensure that people of all ages and abilities have the opportunity to experience horse riding and/or carriage driving, should they wish to, without the fear of being hit by a car and having abuse hurled at them by drivers who do not know (or in some cases do not care) how to pass horses appropriately and safely.

 

PWAS Wales want to protect the equine industries which contribute significantly to the Welsh economy. Working together co-operatively we can and will have a more sustainable impact that will ensure horse riding on public roads remains an option for our future generations and in doing so fulfills the Welsh Government Wellbeing of Future Generations Act.

 

There is an opportunity here for Welsh Government to not only show the Welsh horse community that the safety of riders and carriage drivers is taken seriously, but also to influence UK Government that more needs to be done where legislation is non devolved i.e. reduction of the national speed limit on rural roads.

 

PWAS Wales has now written to the Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Transport 

requesting a meeting to discuss the following:

 

•               A Welsh Government backed national (annual) awareness day for riders

•               Help to galvanise the public and third sectors activity

•               Show leadership and put Wales in the forefront of rider and carriage driver road safety, using the powers bestowed to the Welsh Government

•               Work across Cabinet portfolios to increase the availability of off road riding routes

•               Local community/parish/town councils awareness events

 

PWAS Wales would welcome the opportunity to take the Cabinet Secretary or any of the

Petitions Committee members out on horseback to experience first-hand the challenges that riders are faced with.

 

 

Your faithfully

 

Jocelle Lovell (lead petitioner)

Rachel Francis

Ulrike Smalley

Angela Baker