NZEAN chairperson Shelly Warwick. Photo: Supplied/ NZ Equestrian Advocacy Network
Horse riders have lodged a complaint with the Human Rights Commission, saying they're being discriminated against when it comes to safe road access.
A shared path along the Ōtaki to North of Levin Expressway - a lower North Island highway under construction - was designed to improve safety for vulnerable road users, according to the Transport Agency's project documents.
But the New Zealand Equestrian Advocacy Network (NZEAN) said it explicitly excluded horse riders.
The Transport Agency (NZTA) pointed out it is legal for them to use the four-lane highway itself, and there were other places they could ride their horses.
NZEAN chairperson Shelly Warwick told Morning Report the project was just one example of discrimination against horse riders by central government agencies.
"This is about safety, it's about discrimination against one user group, it's about the government's duty of care to keep us safe," she said.
Warwick said the neighbouring Kāpiti Expressway had a shared path which allowed horses and their riders.
After that success, Warwick worked with cyclists to campaign for a similar shared path on the Ōtaki to Levin Expressway, but horse riders were left out, she said.
The old State Highway 1 could be used but was unsafe, she said.
NZEAN called on the Human Rights Commission to urgently investigate.
It alleged multiple "legal and ethical breaches" including gender discrimination because many horse riders are female, breach of a duty of care to protect public safety, and animal welfare violations.
It wants equestrians to be formally recognised as vulnerable road users, and for that term to be legally defined.
NZTA project director Glen Prince said the agency sought feedback from residents and road users - including representatives of local equestrian groups - during the design, planning and consenting of the project.
"While not illegal to ride on the new highway, there are many other options available to horse riders as local equestrian facilities are unaffected by the new highway and remain available for riders, as do roads such as the old State Highway 1," he said.
The Environment Court accepted that the project wasn't required to better provide for equestrian users, after hearing submissions from horse riders, he said.
Horse riders were allowed on the Kāpiti Expressway because the new road affected existing bridle path connections and routes.
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