MPs debate road safety for horses and riders

MPs have called for stricter road safety requirements to benefit horses and riders during a Parliamentary debate.

The debate in Westminster Hall discussed risks faced by horses and riders on UK roads and measures needed to improve safety.

Newbury MP Lee Dillon who secured the debate, said it highlighted the "life-threatening dangers sharing the road with fast-moving vehicles and the heart-breaking consequences that can follow".

Minister for local transport Lilian Greenwood told the debate equine road safety was "a concern widely shared across the House".

British Horse Society figures show there were 3,118 road incidents involving horses recorded in 2024, with 58 horses killed.

The debate was attended by equestrian organisations, including the British Horse Society, and the British Horseracing Authority.

Opening the discussion, Dillon recalled the "tragic accident" in which two-year-old racehorse Knockalla was fatally hit by a car on a road in Lambourn in Berkshire while being ridden out in September 2024.

"Horses are flight animals that can react unexpectedly," he added.

He said all road users "had to understand how to behave safely and responsibly" when encountering horses on the road.

In September Dillon launched a Presentation Bill, the Road Traffic (Horse and Rider Safety) Bill, which sets out rules for required speed and distance when passing horses in moving vehicles.

The bill also proposes the inclusion of equestrian safety in driving theory tests.

MP for Winchester in Hampshire, Danny Chambers, himself a vet, told the debate that road safety for horses was "not a niche issue".

"As a vet I have stitched up and euthanised more horses that have been hit by cars than I can remember - this is a regular occurrence for vets."

He said a horse had to be put to sleep after being hit by car near Winchester earlier in the day.

Many of the other MPs who spoke during the debate said they had been contacted by constituents who had been involved in incidents on the roads while riding.

South West Norfolk MP Terry Jermy said he had heard the experiences of international para-show jumper Susi Rogers-Hartley.

In 2021, she was injured when a car passed too closely on a narrow lane, trapping her leg and then dragging her along the road when the horse bolted.

In another incident the horse she was riding was fatally hit from behind by a car.

"As Susi told me, 'The driver got an awareness course - I got a dead horse and thousands of pounds of vets bills'.

"Riders tell me there is often little or no enforcement with accidents involving horse riders.

"As cars have got bigger and faster and drivers have got less respectful of our country roads," he added.

South West Devon MP Rebecca Smith MP raised the issue of wild Dartmoor ponies killed and injured by cars in the national park.

"They are a symbol of our heritage but they are regularly killed or injured in collisions.

"Whilst local initiatives like improved signage and reflective collars make a difference, they cannot substitute for wider awareness," she said.

She also called for more localised speed limits on roads used by riding schools.

Answering points raised during the debate, Greenwood said the Highway Code had strengthened guidance on safe passing distances and speed and horses already feature in hazard-perception exercises as part of the driving test.

"It is clear that more action is needed.

"We are considering options more to improve safety of riders and their horses and we will work with stakeholders as we undertake this work," she said.

She said the government's recently-announced road safety strategy was aimed at reducing the number of people killed or badly injured on Britain's roads by 65% over the next decade.

"This government is listening and leading to build a safer future for all road users, including horse riders," she added.

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