The proposed Wye Valley walking and cycling route moved a step closer to being realised last week when Forest of Dean Council gave approval by plans by the sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, to convert the former Wye Valley Railway Line into a shared-use path.
As reported last month on road.cc, Tidenham Parish Council, which falls within the Forest of Dean Council area, had voted against the scheme, but supporters of the route, including weather presenter Sian Lloyd and TV personality Ben Fogle, have carried the day, on the English side of the river at least.
Attention will now turn to the opposite bank, which falls under Monmouthshire County Council’s control, where the planned route will terminate close to Tintern Abbey after crossing into Wales via a new bridge over the River Wye.
The route, which is being part financed by Big Lottery Fund money under Sustrans’ Connnect 2 initiative, will also see the reopening of two former railway tunnels.
No date has yet been set for Monmouthshire County Council’s hearing into the scheme, but in the meantime expressions of support can be sent by email to planning [at] monmouthshire.gov.uk, quoting reference number DC/2010/00783
Rupert Crosbee, Scheme Manager for Sustrans, commented, “We’re delighted that Forest of Dean Council has approved these plans. This path will be a major benefit to the local community, linking a number of towns and villages with Chepstow and Tintern.
“Local people will be able to make more local journeys easily and safely without having to get in their car.”
Jeremy Cowen, spokesperson for the Wye Valley Communities for Safe Cycling, expressed his thanks to the more than 1,300 supporters who had given their backing to project to date, and said, “We’re delighted that Forest of Dean Council has responded to the overwhelming support of the local community.
“We are looking forward to working with Sustrans to get the application passed in Monmouthshire and then on delivering this fantastic link,” he added.
Hmm... I think that our ancestors' luxuries did in fact become necessities, and the Roman empire did indeed decline and fall before it changed...
That was the one (same name in Scotland). Haven't tried a Boris bike yet (or Ken/Khan-cycle ?) but my understanding is they're conceptually...
It does say '12S' on the chainring! All we need now from this 'club member' is the picture of the actual crank break
No because...
I think you may have misunderstood the word carnage....
Love the design. The limitation to 170 mm cranks sent me to the kickR
I'm not doing single track (no suspensions, only 30, 35 mm tyres) so 800 lumen is enough for me, on gravel type of trails at maybe max 20-30 km/h,...
I suppose journalists can just about be forgiven for not knowing the difference between CdA and Cd but supposed Engineers can't. CdA is NOT the...
There is a pHd student at work who has an Adidas backpack in reflective iridescence, looks oil slicky in the day. I love both oil slick and...
I think what you say has some sense to it (for WBD)....