THE effort by East Lancashire MP Janet Anderson to bring back bridleways to a part of the region where there are no longer any, is welcome not just for the sake of horse owners and riders.

For while it hardly makes sense for an area with high numbers of horse riders to be without a facility that reduces the often-dangerous mix of horses and vehicles on the roads, bridleways can also be a recreational asset for many other lovers of the countryside.

And Mrs Anderson, who believes that her Rossendale and Darwen constituency has more horse riders than any other in the country, rightly points to the major economic boost that East Lancashire would gain from developing the tourist trade for them and for walkers. The lack of bridleways in Blackburn with Darwen may be a legacy it received on gaining independence from Lancashire County Council which had downgraded former ones to footpaths. But with growing numbers of people in the area owning horses and riding them for leisure, it does not follow that this situation should remain set in stone.

Despite now having a different designation, the bridleway network still clearly exists and it is right for the council to agree to give it proper recognition.

After all, when much effort and money has been ploughed into creating bicycle and walking trails in East Lancashire, surely the region's lost bridleways deserve equal attention.