Pony and traps to be banned on roads

A ban to address a long-running issue of pony-and-trap racing on roads in Buckinghamshire is due to come into force.

Buckinghamshire Council said the new public spaces protection orders, restricting the use of pony and trap, would take effect from 30 April.

It will apply to the A413, from Chalfont St Peter to Denham, and the A40 between Beaconsfield and Denham.

The council said Thames Valley Police (TVP) reported 639 pony-and-trap racing incidents between 2020 and 2025.

Steve Bowles, the Conservative cabinet member for communities, said the protection orders were in place to "tackle the long-running and dangerous issue of unauthorised pony and trap racing, which has led to significant road safety risks, traffic disruption and distress to local communities".

PSPOs can be enforced by council officers and the police, who can issue fines of £60, rising to £100.

The orders would allow police to "prevent racing before it occurs, helping to keep these busy routes safer", Bowles added.

Pony-and-trap racing is a style of informal racing where a rider sits in a lightweight cart pulled by a pony or horse, typically travelling at speed along roads rather than regulated tracks.

Residents have complained the races cause long tailbacks, sudden braking and near misses.

In early April, TVP was called to the A413 following reports of racing near Chalfont St Peter, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Matthew Barber, the Conservative police and crime commissioner for TVP, said people in south Buckinghamshire had suffered disruption on the A413 for "many years".

He pointed out that racing horses on the highway was not illegal, but led to "disruption to traffic, anti-social behaviour, and intimidation to local residents".

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