MP warns lives are at 'risk' as new Bill targets horse and rider safety

Rebecca Smith, the Conservative MP for South West Devon, has urged the government to go further to protect horse riders and their animals after raising concerns about horse and rider safety in a Westminster Hall debate on Wednesday.

Speaking in Parliament on 14 January, Ms Smith stressed the importance of horses to communities across her constituency, pointing to Dartmoor ponies as symbols of local heritage that are “regularly injured or killed in collisions” on rural roads. 

She also raised how current speed limits on routes such as the B3213 are out of step with the needs of equestrians.

The Roads Minister acknowledged the concerns and confirmed that updated guidance on setting local speed limits was being developed, and said she would take Ms Smith’s points into account as authorities revise their policies.

“I welcome the Minister’s recognition that more needs to be done to protect horse riders and horses on our roads,” Ms Smith said after the debate. 

“Awareness campaigns and guidance are important, but they must translate into real changes on the ground.”

Her comments come as Parliament prepares for the second reading of the Road Traffic (Horse and Rider Safety) Bill, sponsored by Liberal Democrat MP Lee Dillon, scheduled for 16 January. 

The Bill would, if passed, set out required safe passing distances and driver behaviour when overtaking horses, and would include equestrian safety in driving theory tests and education, measures campaigners say could significantly reduce dangerous interactions on Britain’s roads.

The British Horse Society (BHS) said this week that it is “a momentous week for equestrian safety”, and noted that the Westminster Hall debate “aims to raise awareness of near‑misses, serious injuries and fatalities, and to explore practical steps to improve safety for all equestrians.”

They added that the Bill, if enacted, “could help save lives and prevent countless collisions involving horses on the roads.”

In May, the charity partnered with Project EDWARD (Every Day Without a Road Death) for a ride from Lambourn to Windsor, joined by MP Lee Dillon, to highlight the experience of riders navigating traffic and to raise awareness of Highway Code guidance around horses.

New statistics recorded by the BHS show more than 3,000 incidents involving horses on UK roads in 2024 alone, with 58 horses killed and dozens of riders injured, often linked to vehicles passing too close or too fast. 

Campaign groups argue that while updates to the Highway Code advise drivers to slow and leave plenty of space when overtaking equines, many drivers remain unaware or fail to follow the guidance, underlining the need for broader education and law changes.

Ms Smith has pledged to continue working with constituents, riding schools and equestrian groups across South West Devon to press for safer roads for all users.