HORSE riders in Darwen could soon benefit from a new bridleway linking them to 70 miles of countryside across the Pennines if council plans get the green light.

The path which could also be used by cyclists, pedestrians and people of low mobility, would start at the top of Cranberry Lane and go down to the Jack Keys development.

Blackburn with Darwen Council has made the Public Path Creation Order because it believes there is a need for better connected routes in the area.

It has also been identified as one of the strategic routes forming one of the West Pennine Moors feeder route to the Pennine Bridleway.

This is a network of 70 miles of bridleways covering most of East Lancashire.

Janet Forshaw, who has campaigned for better bridleways in Darwen for years, said it was “a good step forward”.

She added: “The more horses we get off the roads, the better.

“You really wouldn’t want horses on the A666 – roads are very busy these days and completely unsuitable for horses and riders.

“This bridleway would form part of the link with the Pennine Bridleway and into Rossendale where people go as a horseriding holiday location, moving from B&B to B&B.

“The paths would also be used by cyclists and it would get people out into the countryside as part of a healthy lifestyle.”

Chris Peat, regional bridleway officer, said: “Bridleways like this are needed because roads are not the place to be anymore.

“It’s so dangerous, you have your heart in your mouth all the time.

“In Lancashire, only five per cent of all public rights of way can be used for horses and every day nationally, there are 10 horse related accidents.”

Currently, there is a footpath on the site which starts in Cranberry Lane which turns into a farmers track.

Coun Simon Huggill said he was keen for the plan to get the go-ahead.

He said: “I think it’s quite a positive thing. It is needed because we get a lot of horse riders in this area who use paths that are not really suitable.

“By the council making a right of way, it would then be official and they would have an obligation to maintain it.”

Consultation with residents ends on July 6.