Local residents and Plaid Cymru Gwynedd Councillors are delighted that their work to improve the county's walking and cycling routes is getting closer, thanks to campaigning over the past seven years.
Pictured are Plaid Cymru Councillors Peter Read, Abererch and Aled Wyn Jones, Llanaelhaearn
A £1.8million investment is to be spent on footpaths and cycling throughout Gwynedd over the coming months and years.
Plaid Councillor Peter Read, who represents the residents of Abererch on Gwynedd Council, has been pushing hard for investment from the Welsh Government to improve provision in his area.
“I'm proud of this news and delighted that we have been able to achieve this after years of correspondence, discussions and lobbying to the Welsh Government to invest in these local routes,” explains Councillor Peter Read.
"Making a safe route for the people of Y Ffôr and Abererch to use on foot, with prams and by bike, has been one of my priorities, as a local Councillor. So when the news finally came that investment will be made to create a new walking and cycling route on the A499 from Llanaelhaearn to Pwllheli, I was elated.
“There was no sense whatsoever that so much investment had been made to the paths previously in the area and having the path stop at Llanaelhaearn. Contracting work, negotiations about land purchase and plans are currently underway. It is hoped that the work will start in spring of next year.”
Across the county, path development will take place in the following areas:
- Trefor, A499 a cycle route link to the village
- Cwm y Glo to Llanrug, A4086 cycle route
- Llanrug through Pontrug to Caernarfon, A4086 cycle route
- Caernarfon to Bethel, B4366 cycle route
- Llanaelhaearn to Caernarfon, A499 cycle route
- Bangor to Llanberis, A4244 and the B4547 cycle route
- Llanelltyd to Barmouth, A496
- Pwllheli, Ysgol Cymerau, widening a path and creating a new crossing point at Ffordd y Cob
Councillor Peter Read continued: “This new route will reassure local people that walking along this road will be much safer and will also benefit local residents’ health and wellbeing, giving them the opportunity to enjoy the fresh air and lead an active life.
“On a wider level, it will link rural villages and offer recreational provision to Gwynedd residents and visitors alike to enjoy cycling activities in a safe and pleasant environment.
Another Councillor who welcomes the investment is Aled Wyn Jones, representative of Llanaelhaearn residents on Gwynedd Council.
“The creation of a new walking and cycling route from the main A499 to Trefor village is currently underway. It is reassuring that a safe route will soon be available for local people to access the village, and I'm pleased to see the work progressing. This work is an extension to safe footways already constructed in the village to enable safer access for children and adults to reach the school, the village hall and the playing fields.
“Thank you to the local residents for their patience and understanding as the work continues. Having traffic lights and roadworks around any village is not easy, but the completion of the work will, no doubt, make the process worth it, once everything is completed in the coming weeks.
“Ensuring that the Welsh Government in Cardiff invests in any community is difficult enough in this current climate. But it shows that that the hard work and efforts of the Plaid Cymru team in Gwynedd pays off, and ensures that real action and investment reaches Gwynedd communities. I am delighted that areas of Gwynedd can benefit from specific financial funds improve provision and safety.
The funding for the routes has come from three different Welsh Government funds - the Local Transport Fund, the Road Safety Capital Grant and the Safe Routes in Communities Grant.
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