“We support equestrian access” This is a welcome statement from new chief executive Dan Wildy who is leading the Crown entity responsible for maintaining, promoting and enhancing “public access to the outdoors for all recreationalists”.
Last month, as I sat listening to one of the Commission’s researchers share his findings on How council’s plan for access to nature, I was shocked to learn that there had been a review of the Commission in 2018 - a requirement under the 2008 Walking Access Act - and amendments to the Act were still sitting with MPI. Concern was expressed in the meeting, and there was assurance given that despite the Act not specifically including horse riding,”…the absence of the word horse riding or equestrian doesn’t preclude you from our services or assistance.” In fact, the Commission says it has used this 7-year period to implement recommendations that do not require further funding or legislative change.
Nonetheless I wrote to the Minister in charge – the response was informative, but what stood out to me was the final paragraph.
The Trust wrote to the new chief executive of the Outdoor Access Commission to ask what it is doing to support the statement made by Minister McClay and what the future looks like for equestrian access?
Why is horse rider inclusion by the Commission important?
1. It operates on behalf of the Crown and the Crown has a duty of care to ensure all New Zealander’s can access and participate in community, irrespective of their mode of transport (feet, wheels, hooves).
2. There are two pieces of legislation that mandate horse rider inclusion or exclusion and have a direct impact on this sector of community’s ability to access safe places to exercise and enjoy their chosen recreational activity. The Land Transport (Road User) Rule 2004 and the 2008 Walking Access Act. Both go on to inform how 76 territorial and regional authorities across New Zealand make provision for their constituents in nature.
The Commission’s research on How council’s plan for access to nature looked at strategies, plans and policies of six territorial authority’s – Kaikōura, Buller/West Coast, Christchurch, Southland, Kaipara. The main findings;
1. Engage with councils in their Long Term/ Annual Plans about community aspirations/goals and do this as soon as you hear of new projects or identify a need for a project/issue.
2. Relationships matter. Groups must work with, share, engage with decision makers to ensure their needs are understood.
3. If a council has a strategy or plan around how to manage access it generally has less issues in community as opposed to councils that do not.
With respect to equestrian access, the researcher found there is very limited mention of equestrians throughout all strategies. The Kaikōura District Council was the only one to mention equestrian services and it is creating shared use trails specific for horses.
The researcher believes a view around ‘conflict between cyclists and horse riders’ is perhaps why councils do not include horse riders. He says another reason is that councils have to fund trails that are used by horses. A contributor to the discussion concurred, confirming current legislation with attached funding, doesn't mandate the inclusion of horses as is done for walking and cycling. He said it results in councils not explicitly mentioning horse riders in funding requests, except in internal paperwork.
And therein lies the problem and why there are councils across the country that provide wonderful spaces and places to ride and why there are some council’s that are incredibly staunch in holding the line of exclusion.
The Vulnerable Road User Submission currently before Select Committee raises much of the concerns above, but there is hope that strong advocacy from The Outdoor Access Commission will lead to a greater understanding from local, regional and central government decision makers and their policy team around what is perhaps the unintended consequence of ill-informed legislation.
Time will tell.
