Question to the Department for Transport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Transport, what steps his Department is taking to improve road safety for horse riders.

The Government takes very seriously the safety of horse riders and other vulnerable road users and is committed to reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on England’s roads.

Following Parliamentary approval, The Highway Code was updated on 29 January 2022 to include changes to improve safety for all road issues - including horse riders.

Key changes include the introduction of a Hierarchy of Road Users, which ensures that those who do the greatest harm have the greatest responsibility to reduce the danger or threat that they pose to others, along with the strengthening of guidance on safe passing distances and speeds when overtaking horse-riders.