Agenda item

Chris Wilson and Gari Jones attended the meeting to advise the Committee of the arrangements for the preparation of Active Travel Network Maps (ATNM).  They informed the Committee of the increasing Local Highway Authority network of Active Travel routes and infrastructure to the Highways Asset Management Plan (HAMP), which they advised is likely to have additional resource implications for ongoing maintenance. 

 

Members will be aware that under the provisions of the Act, the Welsh

Government appointed three Ceredigion settlements as ‘Designated Localities’

for active travel; namely; Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Lampeter.

 

The outcome of the active travel scheme monitoring is reported to the Welsh

Government on an annual basis and published on the Council’s Website.

 

Officers advised the Committee that development and construction of most

active travel infrastructure schemes is almost exclusively funded from

applications to access Welsh Government Capital Grants, mainly Active Travel

Fund and to a lesser extend safe routes in Communities. mainly Active Travel

Fund and to a lesser extend safe routes in Communities.  Officers advised that it

is a condition of Welsh Government grant funding that schemes must be designed and

constructed in accordance with the WG Active Travel Design Guidance.  In reply to a question,

Officers confirmed that Welsh Government do not provide ring-fenced revenue

funding assistance towards the maintenance and upkeep of new infrastructure,

and it is a condition of accepting capital grant funding that the Authority becomes

responsible for any future maintenance costs which clearly carries implications

for service budgets.

 

New routes predominantly for leisure/recreation purposes and routes outside of the

three designated settlements and immediate active travel catchment area are likely

to be unsuccessful and fail to attract funding. This caused concern amongst

Committee Members as Ceredigion has many rural villages and Towns.

 

In response to a question, Officers confirmed that Landowners play a large part in

this process and if their consent is not provided then the Active Travel Scheme

cannot proceed. Their cooperation is therefore crucial.

 

Members asked many questions relating to their area of interest which were

answered in turn by Officers. 

The Chairman asked if land dedication letters could

be posted to landowners of the Rhiwgoch, Aberaeron scheme once again to

which an Officer replied ‘yes’. The Chairman asked for this to be recorded in the

minutes.

 

Following a request from a Committee Member, assurance was given that officers would contact Carms officers to ask them if they had any intention of improving the A484/B4333 between Newcastle Emlyn and Carmarthen.

 

Following a lengthy discussion, Members were asked to consider the following recommendation:

·       Committee is requested to recommend that Cabinet endorse the ATNM Review and future expansion of the Highway network and Asset management responsibilities in connection with Active Travel provision.

Members agreed to recommend that Cabinet endorse the ATNM Review and future expansion of the Highway network and Asset management responsibilities in connection with Active Travel provision.

Councillor Dafydd Edwards, Cabinet Member, apologised for arriving at the meeting late due to attending another Council meeting.

The Chairman thanked the Officers for the information.