Shelly Warwick: NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network chair on horse riders lodging a complaint with NZTA over road access

Horse riders in the lower North Island have raised concerns over safe road access.

A shared path along the Ōtaki to North of Levin Expressway - a project currently under construction - prompted concern after horse riders were excluded from the path.

NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network chairperson Shelly Warwick says the group's lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, citing concerns over equity. 

"There are alternatives for every other user if you want to take them, but they've made a shared-use path to cater for vulnerable road users to get across this community, but excluded horse riders."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
Now there's a weird stoush going on in the Lower

(00:02):
North Island with horse riders who are furious at NZTA
because the horse riders have been banned from using the
new shared pathway that's going to run alongside the new
Utucky Livan Highway. Instead they're being told they have to
ride on the highway itself.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Now.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Shelley Warwick is the New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network chairperson
and with us Hello Shlley, how are you well? Thanks
having me, Yeah, you're welcome. Now what is this path?
Is it like a cycle way quality path or is
it a dirt track?

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Well, in the initial plans it was to be a
shared ue path like the one in the Kapiti Expressway.
So that's a formed path with the grass on each side.
Obviously that's to hold the path together with the downgrades
NZTA has done to the otech its north livin. That

(00:52):
won't be like that the whole way across the Horifnu,
but it will be a link for the community from
north to south for at the stage just cyclists and walkers.
Even though we've been involved in advocating to n ZTA
since twenty nineteen for inclusions for our safety.

Speaker 1 (01:11):
What's the problem with the horses. Why did they say
no to the horses.

Speaker 2 (01:15):
Well, it's a systemic and problem within our central government
agencies which has failed to recognize horse riders for decades
now funding normal language.

Speaker 1 (01:28):
And is it the pope or is it the danger.

Speaker 2 (01:32):
In this in this in this situation, it's just because
we were left out of the scoop, out of the scope.
So it's not poop and it's not danger because on
the next door Carbdy Expressway we have shared that since
twenty and seventeen successfully with all user groups and there
have not been incidences where horses have been of course

(01:55):
an accident, So it's not danger, it's not poop. It's
just the fact that the Minister of Transport has declared
that this will be a shared uice path for walkers
and cycles only and not horse riders.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Are there alternative ways for you to get up the coast.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
Well, it's the North South Link and the thing that
we're going to the Human rights about is the equity
situation here. So there are alternatives. Well, there are alternatives
for every other user if you want to take them.
But they've made a shared juice path to cater for

(02:32):
vulnerable road users to get across this community, but excluded
horse riders. Now, according to the New Zealand Police Superintendent
of Road Policing, we in the police sense and the
police words are vulnerable road users. So the NZTA have
just basically decided that they won't include horse riders for

(02:55):
no good reason, no reason, no cost, no safety. Just
it's syendemic and a cultural thing within these organizations to
not include us.

Speaker 1 (03:05):
Well, let us know how you go. Shlley, appreciate that.
Shalley Warwick, New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network Chairperson.

Speaker 2 (03:12):
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