More than 840 signatures collected urging Albany council to adopt Stidwell Bridle Trail determination

Hundreds of people have urged the City of Albany to set aside sections of Stidwell Bridle Trail for the exclusive use of horses and authorised vehicles.

A petition with 842 signatures was presented to councillors on Tuesday asking them to adopt the Stidwell Bridle Trail Determination, which includes horse-only sections.

In August, the council unanimously endorsed a two-month public comment period for the draft determination, which recently closed.

Friends of the Stidwell Bridle Trail chair Samantha Stevens and treasurer Liz Adamson formally presented the petition.

Ms Stevens said the signatures represented “842 conversations” with community members from a wide demographic.

“All those conversations highlighted the dangers of rat-running, high speeds and recreational off-road driving in the Sandpatch reserve,” she said.

“All were supportive of the need to reduce traffic flow across the reserve.

“During the many discussions we had, the community easily understood and agreed that horses, 4WD and trail bikes don’t mix and are a recipe for disaster.”

Ms Adamson said the common themes of her conversations with signatories had been safety, mixed-use suitability, and environmental protection.

“All believed that everyone should be able to practise their chosen sport in a safe, appropriate environment — this included recreational vehicle users,” she said.

“The other concerns were the same as those that had become evident to the working group during the last 2½ years of the project — namely, the risks associated with environmental destruction, the protection of public drinking water and power resources, and the risk of fire.”

Councillors unanimously voted in favour of receiving the petition last week ,and will consider whether to endorse the determination at their next ordinary meeting in December.