Horse riders on the Spen Valley Greenway have asked Kirklees Council to re-examine a proposal to lay wood chips alongside the tarred cycle path.

Rider Susan Hirst presented the Council with a 345-name petition asking for improved facilities for horse riders on the Greenway. It agreed to look at the issue and report back. But at a Cabinet meeting, it was announced that no action would be taken.

Mrs Hirst, who attended the meeting, asked councillors to re-examine the proposals and suggested approaching sustainable transport charity Sustrans - which owns the cycleway - for its input.

"In the original plans for the Greenway by Sustrans, horse riders were included," said Mrs Hirst, of Birkenshaw.

"The existing track is too slippery for horses because it is made from a certain type of asphalt. The huge success of the Greenway means that it can get very congested so this would be a great solution to get walkers and horse riders out of the way of the cyclists.

"The wood chippings we would use are from cut down trees which are surplus to requirements, so the scheme would not cost a lot of money."

Mrs Hirst, a founder member of the Spen Valley Forum, added: "When the Greenway was built, there was plenty of room for a separate track alongside it, but they used some sort of ballast which contained bits of glass unsuitable for riding on.

"It seems unfair that cyclists can use bridleways, but horses can't necessarily use cycle routes."

She said she would be happy with a 'trial' stretch of the Greenway to be laid with the chippings.

But not all cyclists are in favour of horses using the Greenway.

One user, from Oakenshaw, who did not want to be named, said: "The horses always ride side-by-side and it only takes one child to ring a bicycle bell and spook the horses for the consequences to be fatal because horses are so unpredictable."

She also said horse muck was already prevalent on the Greenway.

"People tell dog owners to clean up that mess, but horse owners never have to," said the 40-year-old.

Councillor Martyn Bolt (Con, Mirfield), a member of the Spen Valley Greenway Forum, said the Council had spent the last four months trying to shuffle the issue under the carpet.

"It is unbelievable that the Council members examining this had not spoken to Sustrans over the last four months," he said.

"In February 1999, when the Greenway was built, it was intended for use by cyclists walkers and as a bridlepath - a bridlepath is not a strip of tar. That facility for horseriders was never delivered and never has been. There are tons of railway sleepers and tree branches that could be recycled and chipping machines are available within Kirklees."