19-year row over whether Telford path should be bridleway is heard at public inquiry

Horse riders told an inspector that they have used a path in the Ironbridge Gorge for decades in their bid to have its status as a bridleway confirmed.

That bid is contested by The Gorge Parish Council and former Ironbridge Gorge borough councillor Louise Lomax, who told planning inspector Claire Tregembo that a barrier and signs had indicated that horse riders were not supposed to use the route.

Rita Mannering, a resident of Madeley since 1959, along with Jan Pritchard, had submitted a bid to change the status of the 466-metre path from School Lane to Rough Park Way in Coalbrookdale as long ago as 2007.

At that stage users had said the route had been used by riders between 1979 and 2007. They must prove that a route has been used for 20 years without impediment to have it confirmed on the balance of probabilities.

She was one of several former and current horse riders to speak in favour of changing the status of the path to a bridleway at a one-day public inquiry this week.

"We have never had a problem with any objections," she said. "I last rode the route in 2010 and I can't recall any barriers."

Sally-Anne Robinson, daughter of the late Jan Pritchard, took up the cause after her mother's death four years ago.

She told the inquiry that horse riders had used the route "continuously as of right and without hindrance" between 1971 and 2007. This provided "sufficient evidence that the right was reasonably alleged to subsist”.

"There is no evidence that disputes the claim that horse riders have used it for 40 years.

"There is no proof that any barriers or no horse signs ever existed," said Ms Robinson.

"Historically that route has been used by horses for 100 years, The Gorge Parish Council did not object to the early consultation or when the order was published."

But parish councillor Maureen Bragg told the inspector that there "was definitely an obstruction" before the year 2000.

When the inspector asked her for the earliest time she could remember the sign she replied: "I can't honestly remember. I have no memory of when it was first there."

Former Ironbridge Gorge councillor Louise Lomax had told the inspector that her late husband had designed the footpaths and bridleway in the area when he worked for Telford Development Corporation in the 1980s.

She said a barrier had been in place from about 1986 until the year 2000 and the intention was to block it off.

When quizzed by the inspector, Ms Lomax said there had been a "public pathway" sign in 2002. "But I can't swear to that, there were barriers that you could get a bike through."

In her closing statement, Ms Lomax said: "We do like horses and we do think that there should be more bridleways.

"We do accept that this short part of Rough Park Way has been used from time to time but not as of right because of signs limiting its use.

"There was a barrier in the late 1980s to the turn of the century and that is from my own knowledge."

Ms Robinson, in her closing remarks, said submissions had proved the extensive use has been made of the route from 1987 to 2007.

"That evidence has not been challenged," she said, adding that the use has not been in secret or by the use of force.

"There is the alleged existence of a barrier and signs from 1986 to 2000 but there is no corroborative evidence for this. The inspector should attach little weight to it preventing equestrian use.

"There is sufficient evidence for the order to be made."

Andrew Careless, senior rights of way officer at Telford & Wrekin Council, told the inspector that the authority's position on the matter is "neutral", neither in favour of or against the proposal.

The inspector's decision will be announced at a later date.

Mr Careless confirmed that a first application to turn the path into a bridleway had been received in October 2007. He said at that stage horse riders had claimed to have used it for the 36 years between 1971 and 2007.

In November 2023 the council was nearly at the end of a process to make an order when objections were received. Mr Careless told the inspector that the authority's position is to support the inspector in making a determination.