A HISTORIC riding route through Filham Park is to be reinstated after county councillors voted to designate it a public bridleway.

Tracks through the large area of green space once permitted horse riders to avoid the windy and increasingly busy Ermington to Ivybridge road, and eased access to Dartmoor.

In 1989, the area was purchased by Ivybridge Town Council for the benefit of residents. The town council subsequently installed a fishing lake, cricket pitch and other sports and leisure facilities, and the area is now essential to several local sports clubs.

While horse riders continued to use the park after its sale to the town council, in recent years riding had been increasingly restricted, before being banned completely in April 2013.

According to representations sent to Devon County Council by Tony Barber, former district councillor for Filham ward, health and safety concerns prompted the ban. He wrote: ‘Following various discussions and despite protests, Ivybridge Town Council decided to ban all horses in the park, the reason being health and safety.

‘They did this following the solicitor’s advice, but that advice was not released to the public and I am unaware of its content.’

Following the ban, some locals questioned whether horses really did pose a risk to other park users, and enquired whether, by the same token dogs would also be prohibited.

Former Ivybridge resident Sue Franklin, who now lives in Diptford, spoke in support of the bridlepath at the DCC Public Rights of Way Committee.

She said: ‘The committee unanimously I think supported the recommendation of their officers to approve a public bridleway through Filham Park, due to the weight of historic evidence dating back many years prior to the purchase of Filham Park by Ivybridge Town Council.

‘However, as the historic route approved by the committee runs through the more recently constructed lake and cricket pitch, it was agreed the next part of the process will be to try and resolve the line of the route around the cricket pitch and fishing lake by way of a concurrent diversion order.

‘This would mean that a suitable route avoiding the new structures would be agreed at the same time that the bridleway is legalised – there is no intention for horse riders to swim in the lake or play cricket!’

Mrs Franklin continued: ‘Of the public rights of way network nationally, horse riders have access to only 22 per cent.

‘It has to be recognised that riders represent an extremely vulnerable user group, and have every right to be represented on the rights of way network.

‘I am aware of perceived conflicts of interest between various user groups, ie walkers, horse riders, cyclists and motorcyclists, all of whom are legally able to use the rights of way network.

‘In practice, it is very rare for there to be any actual, as opposed to perceived, conflict and it is my firm belief that all user groups must be respectful and careful of each other.’

However, at a recent meeting of the full Ivybridge Town Council, members expressed concerns over the effect on sports provision in the park. Town clerk Lesley Hughes said the future of sports pitches was ‘under threat’, and the move would increase pressure on facilities - at a time when the town was expanding - ‘to the detriment of young people’.