1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:02,080 Speaker 1: Now there's a weird stoush going on in the Lower 2 00:00:02,120 --> 00:00:05,720 Speaker 1: North Island with horse riders who are furious at NZTA 3 00:00:05,800 --> 00:00:07,720 Speaker 1: because the horse riders have been banned from using the 4 00:00:07,760 --> 00:00:10,640 Speaker 1: new shared pathway that's going to run alongside the new 5 00:00:10,760 --> 00:00:13,520 Speaker 1: Utucky Livan Highway. Instead they're being told they have to 6 00:00:13,600 --> 00:00:14,960 Speaker 1: ride on the highway itself. 7 00:00:15,280 --> 00:00:15,480 Speaker 2: Now. 8 00:00:15,520 --> 00:00:19,280 Speaker 1: Shelley Warwick is the New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network chairperson 9 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: and with us Hello Shlley, how are you well? Thanks 10 00:00:23,120 --> 00:00:25,200 Speaker 1: having me, Yeah, you're welcome. Now what is this path? 11 00:00:25,320 --> 00:00:28,000 Speaker 1: Is it like a cycle way quality path or is 12 00:00:28,040 --> 00:00:28,880 Speaker 1: it a dirt track? 13 00:00:30,600 --> 00:00:35,800 Speaker 2: Well, in the initial plans it was to be a 14 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:39,440 Speaker 2: shared ue path like the one in the Kapiti Expressway. 15 00:00:39,960 --> 00:00:43,160 Speaker 2: So that's a formed path with the grass on each side. 16 00:00:43,159 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 2: Obviously that's to hold the path together with the downgrades 17 00:00:48,240 --> 00:00:51,720 Speaker 2: NZTA has done to the otech its north livin. That 18 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,160 Speaker 2: won't be like that the whole way across the Horifnu, 19 00:00:55,760 --> 00:00:58,680 Speaker 2: but it will be a link for the community from 20 00:00:58,880 --> 00:01:04,120 Speaker 2: north to south for at the stage just cyclists and walkers. 21 00:01:04,680 --> 00:01:07,920 Speaker 2: Even though we've been involved in advocating to n ZTA 22 00:01:08,040 --> 00:01:11,480 Speaker 2: since twenty nineteen for inclusions for our safety. 23 00:01:11,640 --> 00:01:13,600 Speaker 1: What's the problem with the horses. Why did they say 24 00:01:13,640 --> 00:01:14,399 Speaker 1: no to the horses. 25 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:20,759 Speaker 2: Well, it's a systemic and problem within our central government 26 00:01:20,880 --> 00:01:25,360 Speaker 2: agencies which has failed to recognize horse riders for decades 27 00:01:25,400 --> 00:01:28,640 Speaker 2: now funding normal language. 28 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:31,080 Speaker 1: And is it the pope or is it the danger. 29 00:01:32,959 --> 00:01:38,000 Speaker 2: In this in this in this situation, it's just because 30 00:01:38,040 --> 00:01:40,240 Speaker 2: we were left out of the scoop, out of the scope. 31 00:01:40,319 --> 00:01:43,200 Speaker 2: So it's not poop and it's not danger because on 32 00:01:43,319 --> 00:01:47,120 Speaker 2: the next door Carbdy Expressway we have shared that since 33 00:01:47,160 --> 00:01:52,320 Speaker 2: twenty and seventeen successfully with all user groups and there 34 00:01:52,320 --> 00:01:55,600 Speaker 2: have not been incidences where horses have been of course 35 00:01:55,640 --> 00:01:59,040 Speaker 2: an accident, So it's not danger, it's not poop. It's 36 00:01:59,080 --> 00:02:02,400 Speaker 2: just the fact that the Minister of Transport has declared 37 00:02:02,400 --> 00:02:04,760 Speaker 2: that this will be a shared uice path for walkers 38 00:02:04,760 --> 00:02:07,320 Speaker 2: and cycles only and not horse riders. 39 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: Are there alternative ways for you to get up the coast. 40 00:02:12,360 --> 00:02:16,040 Speaker 2: Well, it's the North South Link and the thing that 41 00:02:16,080 --> 00:02:19,560 Speaker 2: we're going to the Human rights about is the equity 42 00:02:19,919 --> 00:02:26,160 Speaker 2: situation here. So there are alternatives. Well, there are alternatives 43 00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:29,079 Speaker 2: for every other user if you want to take them. 44 00:02:29,080 --> 00:02:32,520 Speaker 2: But they've made a shared juice path to cater for 45 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:37,160 Speaker 2: vulnerable road users to get across this community, but excluded 46 00:02:37,320 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: horse riders. Now, according to the New Zealand Police Superintendent 47 00:02:42,760 --> 00:02:45,760 Speaker 2: of Road Policing, we in the police sense and the 48 00:02:45,760 --> 00:02:50,360 Speaker 2: police words are vulnerable road users. So the NZTA have 49 00:02:50,560 --> 00:02:55,560 Speaker 2: just basically decided that they won't include horse riders for 50 00:02:55,639 --> 00:03:00,080 Speaker 2: no good reason, no reason, no cost, no safety. Just 51 00:03:00,480 --> 00:03:04,160 Speaker 2: it's syendemic and a cultural thing within these organizations to 52 00:03:04,200 --> 00:03:04,960 Speaker 2: not include us. 53 00:03:05,080 --> 00:03:07,720 Speaker 1: Well, let us know how you go. Shlley, appreciate that. 54 00:03:07,760 --> 00:03:12,120 Speaker 1: Shalley Warwick, New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network Chairperson. 55 00:03:12,919 --> 00:03:16,120 Speaker 2: For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drive, listen live to 56 00:03:16,200 --> 00:03:19,240 Speaker 2: news talks the'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow 57 00:03:19,280 --> 00:03:21,040 Speaker 2: the podcast on iHeartRadio