ADVICE ON
Vehicle Barriers
2
Barriers which are intended to prevent motor vehicular access are
obstructions on a right of way unless the right of way was created subject to
barriers as limitations, or unless they are installed by the highway authority
under Section 66 or 115B of the Highways Act 1980.
Even if they are legal, barriers can cause serious hazards for horses, riders
and other legitimate users of the way. It is very important that installations
comply with the specifications as for gates (see BHS Advice on Gates) and that
the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 are considered.
Careful consideration must be given to whether the safety threat is real and
has evidence rather than being a perception. Installing a barrier is a common
reaction but there may be no evidence that it will remove antisocial behaviour
and it will have a damaging effect on legitimate users of the way. A barrier
affects people with impaired mobility and impaired vision as well as riders
who may have difficulty negotiating the structure safely. Cyclists may not be
able to lift a bicycle over the structure. Wheelchair users may be unable to
proceed. Riders may be unseated if their horse chooses to jump the barrier –
this is a common response of horses.
Any barrier should always be set well back from the roadside so that riders
or carriage-drivers have space to align themselves for the structure or
negotiate it in safety away from motor vehicles. Structures should not cause
equestrians to be delayed on the road as that increases the risk of an incident
with a motor vehicle, particularly where motor traffic is at high speed.
This general requirement may have to be relaxed at certain sites where there
is a proven problem of fly-tipping or parking and the wish is to prevent motor
vehicles pulling off the road by placing bollards. Some times more creative
approaches are better, such as in Hertfordshire where triangular prism blocks
of concrete are secured to the ground with carefully calculated spacing in the
splay so as to make it too slow and risky for a vehicle to reverse off the main
road to tip but the blocks are not an obstruction to legitimate users.
A horse stile or step-over barrier of any type should never be installed at the
roadside because of the danger of a horse jumping the barrier into traffic or
aligning to negotiate the barrier in the carriageway while at risk from vehicles.
If the solution appears to be a barrier close to the road edge, then
consideration must be given to the safety of users negotiating the barrier or
waiting to cross the road.
While recognising that few barriers are wholly effective in deterring
motorcycles, the Society accepts that where measures prove to be necessary
because of a genuine danger from motor vehicles, the horse stile as specified
in the British Standard for Gaps Gates and Stiles may be installed.
Correct installation to the specification is important as the structure can
Vehicle Barriers
3
otherwise be dangerous. Horse stiles must never be installed with gates
across them. The sleepers or rails of the stile prevent safe operation of the
gate.
Where lack of width prevents a gap, bridle gate or horse stile alongside a
locked field gate, a barrier of the type with a lowered mid-section may be
accepted if installed to BHS specification. However, such structures are much
higher risk than a gap because most horses will have been taught to jump
structures similar to such barriers and may fail to understand that they are
not supposed to jump the barrier.
All vehicle structures must have:
• Straight approach and landing of at least 5m length
• Level well-drained ground free from overhanging vegetation to 4m
height (in case a horse jumps the structure)
• A non-slip and giving surface as a horse may jump the barrier and slip
or be injured (i.e. not tarmac)
• Ample space for at least three horses to wait safely and comfortably
between the barrier and any motor vehicular road, (5 to 6 metres
assuming more than 3m width available).
Bollards
The preference of the BHS to prevent access by four-wheeled vehicles would
be for bollards as being least restrictive to legitimate users. As the minimum
gap between bollards would be 1.5m, this would not prevent access by
motorcycles. If motorcycles are the problem on a bridleway, a horse stile or
‘horse-friendly vehicle barrier’ may be required, but only if they are proven to
prevent the illegal access as they may also restrict legitimate users.
Bollards should have smooth tops and edges and have at least 1.5m between
them on a bridleway, 1.8m on a byway. Where the bridleway or byway is not
level across its width at the point where the bollard is required, the bollard(s)
should be set so as not to obstruct the natural line of travel for a horse,
particularly on a byway where a carriage must be accommodated.
A central bollard is only acceptable if the surface is level and there is height
clearance to 3.7m across the full width. Where the route has verges or trees
or hedges to the sides, two bollards will be required to give a clear central
passage. Bollards must be clearly visible.
A Kent Carriage Gap is a specific arrangement of bollards that can be passed
with a carriage but not by most four-wheeled motor vehicles (see page 6).
Vehicle Barriers
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Horse Stile
Horse stiles that comply with the British Standard consist of two bars across
the path with adjacent secure fencing to prevent illegal users going round the
stile. They are pointless unless other entries are secured and will only
inconvenience or increase risk to legitimate users.
Horse stiles are constructed using railway sleepers or equivalent with the
sleeper lying on its short edge. The BHS does not recommend using
suspended scaffold-type poles or metal bars as the gaps underneath make
them less visible to horses and if a hoof strikes them in crossing, the noise
may startle the horse, which could be dangerous while negotiating the
structure. However, the Society accepts that in some situations wood is too
vulnerable to vandalism.
Vehicle Barriers
5
• Height of bars 190mm +/- 60mm
• ‘Short edge’ or diameter 80mm to 160mm
• Width at least 1525mm
• Distance between bars 1200mm +/- 100mm
A gate must never be hung above the stile or within 4m before or after the
line of travel through the stile.
Clear space at least 4m long and 2m wide is required to both sides of the
horse stile so that the horse can walk straight through the structure.
Where it is required leading off a carriageway, space for at least three horses
is required between the stile and the edge of the road so that they can wait
together to cross the road. This also provides stopping distance if a horse
should attempt to jump the stile towards the road and, when leaving the
carriageway, allows space for the horse to be attentive to the structure without
the distraction of motor vehicles.
The ground through the stile and on the approaches should be flat, firm and
well drained but not hard, slippery or stony; that is, it should be a surface on
which a horse can safely jump. This surface may need regular maintenance.
It should not be tarmac as this is much too dangerous if a horse should jump
the barrier.
It is particularly important that the space before, after and within the stile is
free-draining and is not permitted to become eroded as this will increase the
severity of the barrier to horses and make them more likely to jump or to trip.
A ‘horse friendly vehicle barrier’ is a term used by manufacturers for a strong
metal barrier with a lowered mid-section over which horses can step. The
mid-section must be low enough that it does not encourage a horse to jump
it.
Vehicle Barriers
6
These barriers cannot be used on byways or roads because they prevent
access by horse-drawn carriages.
‘Horse friendly vehicle barriers’ should only be used on bridleways where all
of the following circumstances apply:
• Lawful motor vehicular access needs to be maintained while deterring
illegal use
• There is insufficient space beside a locked field gate for a 1.525m gap
• There is clear evidence of persistent problems with unlawful motor
vehicular access
• The surface is not tarmac or of any substance that may be slippery for
horses
• The authority is able to legally authorise installation of the barrier and
is satisfied that the requirements of the Equality Act 2010 are met
A barrier should be at least 5m from the edge of a carriageway; 6m or more
is desirable where space permits and additional width may be necessary to
allow three horses to wait together to cross the carriageway. This length also
allows for stopping distance if a horse should jump the barrier towards the
road, and leaving the road, allows the horse to negotiate the structure away
from the danger of motor traffic.
The space over the barrier and its approaches should be clear of overhanging
branches and other hazards to a height of 4m in case a horse should jump
the barrier.
The ground under the barrier and on the approaches should be flat, not
sloping, firm and well drained but not hard, slippery or stony; that is, it should
be a surface on which a horse can safely jump. This may require a
Vehicle Barriers
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commitment to maintenance. It must not be tarmac as this is much too
dangerous if a horse jumps the barrier and may cause a horse to slip when
stepping over, particularly when wet.
The lowered central part of the gate over which the horse steps should be at
least 1.2m wide at the bottom and 2m wide at the top. The top of this section
should be 190mm ± 60mm from the ground.
Care must be taken to ensure that the height of the lowered rail does not
exceed the maximum recommended height of 250mm overall height
measured from the ground beneath that part of the barrier and for at least
2m on each side. Periodic maintenance of the surface under the barrier may
be required to ensure it does not erode and increase the height between the
ground and the top of the rail. Raising the ground immediately below the
barrier does not help as it is the height the horse has to step which is
important.
The lock should be not clatter if a horse strikes it while crossing as this could
scare a horse into jumping or bolting.
There should be solid wooden cladding on both sides of the central section,
so that the barrier does not clang if the horse’s foot strikes it. It may need to
be painted so that the horse can distinguish it more easily from the ground.
The edges of the wood should be rounded so that the horse’s legs will not be
grazed if they scrape it.
Kent Carriage Gap
The Kent Carriage Gap may be used on byways open to all traffic, restricted
byways and unsurfaced, unclassified roads to preserve the legal right of
carriage-drivers, where the authority has the power to authorise the structure.
The Kent Carriage Gap comprises one pair of smooth rounded bollards of
concrete, metal or wood (1 and 2 on the diagram), 330 to 380mm high,
1525mm apart (between the faces), with a clear space of at least 600mm wide
outside one or both of the bollards (a).
The structure is intended to permit access by all users of a minor highway
except four wheeled motor vehicles and can be used to enforce a Traffic
Regulation Order prohibiting four wheeled motor vehicles. It does not prevent
motor cycles or any other motor vehicle narrower than 1.52m.
There are some horse-drawn carriages that might be obstructed by the
structure but most will be able to pass with care either between the bollards
or, for wider carriages, with one wheel outside bollard (1) which is lower so it
can pass under the carriage axle.
The pair of bollards may be reinforced by one or more additional pairs if
Vehicle Barriers
8
forced access by large vehicles is likely. Any remaining space outside the
bollards up to banks or fences (3) can be restricted with taller bollards or
fencing.
All the bollards must be solidly installed, and the surface throughout must be
firm and level (not sloping) in all weather conditions, including approaches
and between bollard 1 and boundary 3 so that clearances for carriages
remain optimum. Maintenance of the surface may be required to avoid
erosion reducing the clearance for a carriage over the bollard.
Where a compromise has been necessary to allow use by a carriage which
is obstructed by the Gap, bollard (1) has been a lockable bollard so that it may
be lowered by someone with a key.
On a route leaving a carriageway, the bollards should be set back from the
roadside by at least 7m so that a horse and carriage do not have to slow
down and line up with the gap while across the carriageway. It may be a tight
and slow manoeuvre for some carriages, so doing it while at the mercy of
motor traffic is not recommended.
However, where the purpose of the bollards is to prevent fly-tipping or parking,
it may be necessary to reduce this length but it should only be done where it
is possible for a horse and carriage to be lined up with the gap in safety.
See also BHS Advice on Gates.
If this advice note is a printed copy, please check for the latest
version on www.bhs.org.uk/access-and-bridleways.
Revised 04/2016
For more information on The British Horse Society’s rights of way work contact:
Access and Rights of Way Department,
The British Horse Society, Abbey Park, Stareton, Kenilworth,
Warwickshire CV8 2XZ
Tel: 02476 840581 email: [email protected]
This advice note applies to England and Wales. For information on
Scotland, contact Helene Mauchlen, National Manager for Scotland,
Woodburn, Crieff, Perthshire PH7 3RG
Tel: 02476 840727 email: [email protected]
For information on Northern Ireland please contact
Susan Spratt, National Manager for Ireland, Hawks Hill Cottage,
26 Portaferry Road, Greyabbey, Newtownards, Co. Down BT22 2RU
Tel: 02476 840736 Mob: 07808 141079 email: [email protected]
The British Horse Society is a Registered Charity Nos. 210504 and SC038516