Hack writer

A pretty routine meeting this evening.

Abuse of the gallops: It was reported that the Training Grounds Management Board was unhappy once again about hack riders riding on the gallops. So are we, but then we’re unhappy about kite flyers flying kites on the hack areas, dog walkers letting their dogs run under riders’ feet, cyclists riding without regard for other downs users, etc. The point is that it’s difficult to catch people, and even more difficult to make a prosecution stick. There’s no provision for fixed penalty tickets in the local Act, and there’s little appetite for prosecution. At least no-one’s likely to get hurt if a hack rider takes to the gallops, but people can and do get hurt when dogs attack horses. So a sense of priorities is needed.

Rubbing House: Pressure to increase parking for customers of the Rubbing House continues to mount. Current thinking is to pave some of the verges, but we’re wary of any proposal to extend parking onto the downs below the access road. Plans will be put to the next conservators’ meeting in January.

Marking of hack rides: The downskeepers reported that work to repaint the posts marking the hack rides was almost complete. Unfortunately, this hardly addresses the question of whether the posts are in the right place. We’ll take it up at the consultative committee meeting on 6 November.

Downs House hack ride: This is the one on the south side of the Downs House enclosure. The width is less than 3 metres, whereas it’s supposed to be 9 metres, affording a broad grassy strip all the way up the gentle gradient to Walton Road. There was agreement that the scrub adjacent to the Downs House enclosure needs to be cut back, perhaps over two years, to regenerate a grassy sward on the inside of the existing hard track. However, suggestions that the current track was constructed to the outside of the original track, so that the scrub lies over hardcore rather than turf, may make this difficult to realise.

The consultative committee tour took place this evening, in what ought to have been estival evening sunshine, but started out dull and windy, and became wet and horrible. People took some coaxing to dismount from the Epsom old peoples’ day out minibus which had been provided for our use.

We had a look at the Langley Vale Road horse margin (strictly, nothing to do with the conservators), and agreed that it’s pretty grotty for use by horses in training, but since nobody had any power to do anything about it (it’s a Surrey County Council responsibility), it’s unlikely to change anytime soon.

The hatched area (below) at the foot of Six Mile Hill was inspected, a now frequent ritual, where we say we’d like to ride there (as envisaged under the 1984 Act), and the Training Grounds Management Board say ‘no’. We’ve been invited to present a case before the TGMB later this year, when we’ll put forward a plan which may or may not meet with approbation.

Everyone agreed that the diversion of bridleway 65 across the south-east corner of Six Mile Hill would be a ‘good thing’, if only Surrey County Council could get on and do it, but apparently it’s being held up by negotiation about whether the order should be a diversion or an extinguishment and concurrent creation. Meanwhile, time passes… .

Then we moved on to look at the Langley Vale Woods hack ride, or rather, we would have looked at it if it hadn’t become obscured by overgrowth about 15 years ago, and unusable. Agreed that the woods were in an awful state, and needed better management all round.

Finally, to the Downs House hack ride (the one on the south side of the Downs House enclosure), which is supposed to extend about six metres across the grass on the downhill side of the hard track, but the marker post is nearer about two metres. Nick, the conservation adviser to the conservators, had a root around in the scrub between the track and the Downs House fence, and reckoned the track itself had been rebuilt further out, neatly snaffling about four metres of hack riders’ grass and leaving the original track languishing in the undergrowth.

Middle Hill: These markers (see photo), formerly at the top of Middle Hill, used to prohibit passage across a 20m strip of grass onto Walton Road. Riders were, technically at least, expected to turn right before reaching the strip, and walk up Downs House Road onto Walton Road. The trainers agreed that the strip no longer needed protection for use as a training gallop (its formal designation), and the posts have now been removed.

Chalk Lane: We’re still concerned about the level of traffic using Chalk Lane, with further increases likely following the completion of the hotel development. We’re expecting the conservators to press for new traffic calming measures.

Next meeting: Takes place on 6 November 2007.

Let’s concrete over the downs! Concern about congested parking around the Rubbing House (which is exceptionally popular at weekends) led to a remarkable proposal: why not concrete over the downs below the access road to the Rubbing House? OK, so the idea was to put down a limited area of grasscrete for overflow parking, but it was salutary to see how the conservators (statutory duty: “to preserve the Downs so far as possible in their natural state of beauty”) lined up to support this proposal. Only some reservations on the part of the clerk kept them from rubberstamping it right away! And ‘overflow’ could mean every lunchtime and evening, 365 days a year! By the way, the land nominated for this ‘upgrade’ is a statutory hack area. And no-one even mentioned the words ‘planning permission’.

Mac track at bottom of Six Mile Hill: The trainers complained that some hack riders are regularly but covertly using the high quality gallop at the foot of Six Mile Hill, in preference to the sand track. We supported their plans to put barriers across the mac track out of training hours as a practical solution, but pointed out that continuing problems with maintaining the sand track might be a contributory factor.

Diversion of bridleway 65: This long-running saga is now likely to go ahead, meaning that the public bridleway which trails across the south-eastern corner of Six Mile Hill (towards the middle-left of the photo) will be diverted to the hardcore track around the south-eastern perimeter fence (which is where most people think it is now). Horse riders will still be able to use the old route, because it’s a statutory hack ride, and cannot be diverted.

Chalk Lane: Chalk Lane has been used as a rat-run for years, particularly since the gate at Durdans was removed (or stolen). It’s supposed to be closed to all motor traffic, except for ‘access’. The county council doesn’t really know what to do about it, and promises a feasibility study — but no new gate, apparently because it might be dangerous (now, we wouldn’t want motorists put at risk, would we?). A couple of steel bollards might do the trick, though… .

Dogs: The trainers raised the danger to their horses (and their riders) from dogs. Sometimes, owners are seen to encourage their dogs onto the training areas, putting at risk riders, horses — and dogs. Hack riders face the same problems all day long, and we agree with the trainers that the conservators need to address communication, and think about more direct signage and the availability of a code of rights and responsibilities in leaflets.

Signposting: Lots of new warning signs have been put up, but we’d noticed that plans for refurbishing the hack ride markers seemed to be gathering dust, even though we’d been asked for comments late in 2005. It’s now been agreed that the staff will look again at the plans, and we’re hopeful there will be some clearer waymarking, with new posts where necessary, and redundant ones removed, some time in 2007.

Additional hack riding area: There was provisional agreement to radically cutting back the scrub along the edge of the gallop at the bottom of Six Mile Hill, below Juniper Hill. This will reduce the rabbit population, which is the Training Grounds Management Board’s main excuse for not allowing use of the hatched area by hack riders. So next year the Board will again be invited to consider the use of a track across the hatched area.

Website for the Downs: The conservators were introduced to ‘their’ website, actually a page on the website of Epsom and Ewell Borough Council (oddly, the conservators either don’t believe in branding, or don’t actually realise they’re not part of the council). It’s quite an improvement on what was there before (not difficult), and a leaflet on hack riding is promised, to be available on-line and on-site.

Tattenham Corner crossing: The Pegasus crossing on Tattenham Corner Road cost around £60,000 (not £30,000 as stated here previously!), and is really only of value to the nearby racing stables. The conservators heard that further works to make the crossing of use to hack riders, cyclists and walkers could be pursued only if the works were put forward for funding in the Epsom and Ewell local committee, in February 2007.

Hack riders to be prosecuted with video evidence? The conservators discussed whether video cameras should be used by the downskeepers to collect evidence of hack riders riding on the training gallops. Although the proposal from the trainers received considerable support from conservators, the clerk, David Smith, sensibly counselled caution, pointing out that the evidential requirements were onerous, that a conviction under the byelaws remained a hopeless cause until signposting and publicity had been improved, and that even then, only regular offenders should be targeted.

And, would you believe it, no-one suggested that video evidence should be gathered on dog walkers failing to clear up after their dogs, or folk flying kites outside the designated areas?

Post-Derby clear up: Our and others’ complaints about the standard of clearing up after the Derby were discussed by the conservators. A fortnight after the event, there were still large quantities of glass on the raised bank next to the home straight, and on the bridleway 127 part of Old London Road — something which wouldn’t be accepted for a moment on the training gallops. The detritus on the Hill, near the Tote stand, which reappears after each Derby, was left again this year. And the litter clear-up failed to reach down Old London Road to Buckles Gap. Racecourse representative Stephen Wallis admitted that they had used new contractors this year, who had failed to deliver, and gave an assurance that it wouldn’t happen again next year.

Explorer maps to show hack rides: The conservators have agreed to our proposal that future editions of the Ordnance Survey Explorer map should show details of the statutory hack rides. Sadly, the next edition is not due out for several years!

Downs strategy: The Downs Strategy was approved by the conservators with some amendments. It’s a bit weak on commitments, but better than earlier drafts. It’s likely to be published on the Epsom and Ewell council website later this year.

Additional hack riding area: The Training Grounds Management Board had yet again considered whether hack riders should be able to ride on the so-called hatched area — and concluded the answer was no! The Board has decided the eastern segment is dangerous for horses to use (true, because the area has been left to go to rot), and that there are what were called ‘policy’ reasons against use of the western segment (in other words, they want it for their own use). But they also know they’re legally skating on thin ice, and we had a fair hearing at a site visit on 1 August. Watch this space… .

Tattenham Corner crossing: The Pegasus crossing on Tattenham Corner Road cost around £30,000, and is really only of value to the nearby racing stables (which, to be fair, has an undoubted need, and uses the crossing several times each day) — the push button for equestrians on the north side of the road is actually located on private property! It was originally part of a programme of highway improvements to enhance access between the Hill and the track down to Rifle Butts Alley. But, here’s a surprise, the package was quietly dropped and only the crossing installed. We are lobbying for the wider package to be resuscitated as part of the changes involving the diversion of bridleway 65 and the improvement of National Cycle Route 22.

Publicity: The council plans to go live on 1 September with new webpages for the downs. We’re still pushing for the conservators to produce dedicated leaflets for users of the downs, including horse riders, who could download the information from the website.

Post-Derby clear up: We complained, not for the first time, about the standard of clearing up after the Derby. A fortnight after the event, there were still large quantities of glass on the raised bank next to the home straight, and on the bridleway 127 part of Old London Road — something which wouldn’t be accepted for a moment on the training gallops. The detritus on the Hill, near the Tote stand, which reappears after each Derby, was left again this year. And the litter clear-up failed to reach down Old London Road to Buckles Gap.

Sand track: We’ve asked for the depth of the surface in the sand track, at the foot of Walton Downs, to be reduced, as (ironically, compared with a year or two ago), it’s now too deep!

Additional riding area: The Conservators were told the Training Grounds Management Board still hadn’t reached a decision on hack riders’ use of the hatched area: that’s part of the bottom of Six Mile Hill which should be available to hack riders ‘if conditions permit’. David Smith, clerk to the conservators, was clearly running out of patience, and told them to get on with it and come to a conclusion. The TGMB next meets in July.

Closure of Walton Road: Surrey County Council, as highway authority, has finally opined that the crossing of the back of the racecourse (next to the junction with Downs House road) cannot be legally closed, and must remain open. We hope that’s the end of the matter.

Publicity and signage: The conservators agreed to our proposal that the main hack rides on the downs should be marked on the OS Explorer map as permissive bridleways. This will help inform people about where they can ride, even without local knowledge. The restricted rides (the ones which cannot be used before noon each day) will not be included.

New bridleway: Sounds good? Surprisingly, no! Surrey wants to create a new bridleway, no 151, along the route of the statutory hack ride on the west side of Juniper Hill, so that it can be used by cyclists. The cyclists have said they don’t need it, and walkers and the hack riders don’t want it (they already have a right to use the path). The conservators agreed to ask Surrey why it was pressing ahead with the proposal despite a consensus against it.

Grandstand development: The redevelopment of the old grandstand, and the construction of a new hotel, now seems likely to go ahead. If so, there will be no race meetings in September. We have asked for further measures to improve traffic management in Chalk Lane, where abuse of the traffic regulation order seems otherwise likely to increase.

Revised downs strategy: A draft is now in circulation, and will be considered at the meeting of the consultative committee on 22 June.

Tattenham Corner crossing: The traffic light-controlled crossing at Tattenham Corner was commissioned in April, after months of delay awaiting electrical connections. It’s really only of use to the training yard adjacent: walkers and cyclists don’t need it. We are asking for a permissive route for riders to use the crossing to pass between the Hill and the hack ride on the east side of Old London Road.