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Residents at recent meetings gave support for proposals to create a traffic-free path for walkers, wheelchair users, people pushing buggies, cyclists and horse riders along the disused Wye Valley Railway between Chepstow, Tintern and Brockweir. A series of consultation meetings attracted 265 people, most of whom live within three miles of the proposed route. And 98 per cent of people said they would use the path if it opened. 

A series of four drop-in consultations in Brockweir, Tintern and Chepstow held earlier this summer gave people the chance to find out more, get answers to any questions and influence the planning application which will be submitted to Monmouthshire County and the Forest of Dean District Councils in Autumn of this year.

Rupert Crosbee, Sustrans’ Area Manager says: “We were very pleased to see so many people and to hear how they would use the path. Most were planning to walk or cycle and a quarter said they would use it daily or a few times a week. We were also able to discuss people’s concerns such as access for horse riders. The results from these meetings give us a snapshot of public response to the plans and will be used in conjunction with other information to guide decisions to be made later this year. A summary of the findings will be sent to local councils and be available on www.wyevalleycycling.org.uk”

Jeremy Cowen from Wye Valley Communities for Safe Cycling added: “Public interest in these plans has been huge, they are keen to see a safe environment for travel away from traffic which will be good for families and give access to our beautiful local scenery. The routes will include a bridge over the River Wye and these  meetings were a chance to view not just the plans for the route but also comment on the type of bridge and its practical details.”

This consultation has been funded by the Sustainable Development Fund, a Welsh Assembly Government initiative in Wales and a DEFRA initiative in England in the Wye Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

There is tremendous support to enable people to walk and cycle more. In December 2007, Sustrans’ Connect2 won £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund in a televised vote won by a landslide. Some of this money is earmarked to putting this bridge and its surrounding paths in place.

Published on 01st Oct 2009