Horse Rider Advocates for Enhanced Road Safety After Multiple Close Calls

Rory Leggett, a 29-year-old horse rider, is advocating for increased safety provisions on roads in the Arundel area, citing multiple close encounters. He noted a deterioration in driver conduct in recent years, leading to instances where horses have been struck by wing mirrors due to vehicles passing too closely. Mr. Leggett, who works as an instructor at Arundel Riding Centre, is requesting traffic calming installations on the A284 and the A27 Arundel Bypass, alongside his broader aim to elevate national awareness on the issue. West Sussex County Council (WSCC) confirmed it is currently assessing a proposal to lower the speed limit on the A284, which is located adjacent to the riding centre. The British Horse Society (BHS) disclosed that it recorded 103 reports from riders concerning driver conduct in Sussex during the previous year. Speaking to BBC Radio Sussex, Mr. Leggett stated: “People have been getting closer to us on the roads, there have been a lot of near misses. More than I can count.“I have been slowly trying to get changes made to local roads in order to make them safer for horses, our customers, staff, pedestrians and cyclists.“We have had some cases where a horse has been clipped by a wing mirror, my mother was nearly run over once, she had to jump out the way of a car. “We’ve had vehicles try to squeeze between us and oncoming traffic. It can be quite nerve wracking sometimes.” The Arundel Riding Centre was established in 1960 by Joy Leggett, Mr. Leggett’s grandmother, preceding the construction of the current A27 route in the 1970s. Proposals for a new bypass were abandoned in July. He explained, “We now have to go round roundabouts, across bridges, over roads including the A27 to try and get to our fields.” Nationally, the BHS received reports of 3,383 incidents last year. From these reports, 66 horses died and 86 sustained injuries, while three individuals were fatally injured and 94 others were injured. Earlier this month, Mr. Leggett received the BHA’s Tarquin Trophy Award in recognition of his contributions to equine road safety. Des Payne, the safety team leader at BHS, commented: “Given the back story of the Tarquin award, which is presented in tribute to 14-year-old Kate Powell and her horse Tarquin who were killed on a Sussex road in 1981, it is especially significant that Rory’s work is honoured.“With nearly 3,400 equine-related road incidents recorded with the BHS last year, it is critical that we continue to support people like Rory, and the equestrian community, to drive even greater change.” Inspector Ross Wickings, from the Arun Neighbourhood Policing Team, encouraged the public to report instances of anti-social driving to Sussex Police or through the Operation Crackdown website, to facilitate suitable intervention. He added, “This includes a high visibility policing presence, enforcement action and partnership working to identify longer term solutions to the challenges our communities face.” WSCC indicated that local communities have the option to request road alterations via its community highway scheme.