2004 Retrospective
Bushey 55
The Jasmine Safety Track Trust was set up following the death of a pony in a car accident in Chipperfield. With the Chess Valley Bridleways Association, the Jasmine Safety Track Trustees raised the money needed to buy the land for a new bridleroute. The strip of land is some 10 to 13ft wide (3m to 4m). Although the Jasmine Safety Track Trust made the path available to the public straight away, they were still burdened by the need to maintain the route, and had to raise funds each year for this.
In 2000, the British Horse Society suggested that money could be contributed towards the trust if the route were dedicated as a bridleway. This happened in 2002, and the final legal work to record the path as Sarratt 75 bridleway was completed in April 2004. By completing this process, the County Council is now responsible for future maintenance. This is an excellent example of path creation. The Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust congratulates all those involved!
Earlier this year, the trustees approached the Hertfordshire County Council, owner of Berrygrove Woods, to seek a dedication of the route through the woods used by horses. This would ensure that the route was shown on maps, and that the surface was maintained to a reasonable standard. We were very pleased to learn in October that the County Council has agreed to the request! This path forms another part of the Aldenham Parish Ride.
We were delighted in October 2004, when the order to record the bridleway off Homefield Road in Bushey was confirmed. This route, some 285 yds of grassy bridleway with a narrow hardened strip for walkers and cyclists, forms part of the London Orbital Bridleroute (H25). Evidence to demonstrate equestrian rights had been collected by the Patchetts Green Riding Club and the British Horse Society, and the application to record the route had been made by the Bushey and District Footpaths Association. All who used the path and completed the evidence form are thanked for playing their part in safeguarding the route for future riders.
Following representations made to the Highways Agency in 2002/3, the need for a safe equestrian crossing of the A41 and M1 was recognised by the Agency. It has allocated money for the conversion of the spare archway carrying the A41 over the M1, to be turned into a bridleway underpass of the A41. This crossing will join Bushey 68 (the bridleway near Tyler’s Farm) to Bushey 36 (which leads to Hilfield Lane), and will be the first new crossing for the H25 in Hertfordshire. Work starts in 2005!
Following the passage of the Traffic Management Act 2004, the Trust took another look at the legality of the blue cycle and pedestrians sign that has been put on some verges used by riders. Although the British Horse Society and the Patchetts Green Riding Club had made representations about these signs before, the new Act gives the local authority the ability to appoint civil enforcement officers who can issue tickets for contravening the signs, whose legal meaning is ‘route for pedestrians and cyclists only’.
The thought of riders getting tickets for riding down a verge is, of course, abhorrent, especially when the signs have been used on routes where use of the verge is essential to join up other paths without riding in the carriageway.
Amongst the verges in South Herts where the offending signs have been put up are the A41 at Bushey, the A414 between London Colney and Hatfield and (see photograph) Swanland Road, South Mimms.
The Countryside Agency gave money to the Hertsmere Borough Council for the improvement to the Swanland Road verge on condition that it could be used by horses as well as walkers and cyclists. There is a crash barrier between the verge and the road, so any horse rider that is in the road cannot get out of the way of a fast car or lorry. This makes it really important that the verge is available for riding.
The Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust has been recognised as having charitable status by the Inland Revenue. This means that the Trust can obtain tax relief on donations it receives, by using the Gift Aid scheme.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Sarratt Bridleway 75) Legal Event Modification Order 2004, added this path to the definitive map as a bridleway following its dedication by public path creation agreement.
The Hertfordshire County Council (Dyes Lane, Langley 21/Knebworth 43) Modification Order 2004, made 23 Jul 2004, proposes to add this route as a byway to the definitive map and statement.
© 2025 Patchetts Green Bridleways Trust.
