Plus Michael Sheen Visits and Information on Our Charitable Status Acheivement
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To accomplish great things we must not only act, but als o dre am; no t o nly p lan, b ut also b eliev e" …. A natole Fra nce. o T TUN N NEissueL 2. VISF IO N NEWSLETTER Issue 8 • August 2015 Sustrai ns Meeting with Tunnel Society How it all Went Afan Argoed V is itor C entre L w La te s t N ews ! M Ystradf ec han Fe te R ep o rt A fan tastic event plus Michael Sheen Visits and information on our Charitable Status Acheivement Sustrans meet with RHONDDA TUNNEL SOCIETY WHAT IS SUSTRANS? vision for cyclists and pedestrians, would make a new NCN route along the Rhondda Fawr from Porth to Blaencwm a Sustrans (http://www.sustrans.org.uk/) is a leading UK very attractive and feasible proposition by providing a link charity enabling people to travel by foot, bike or public through to the Afan Valley and its world-class mountain transport for more of the journeys we make every day. The bike trails. charity works with families, communities, policy-makers and partner organisations so that people are able to SOCIETY’S MEETING WITH SUSTRANS. choose healthier, cleaner and cheaper journeys, with bet - On Wednesday, 29th July, members of the Society’s Com - ter places and spaces to move through and live in. In addi - mittee met with Mr Gwyn Smith of Sustrans Cymru in the tion to the creation of cycling friendly routes in urban Tunnel Hotel, Blaengwynfi. The Welsh Government has environments, Sustrans has been instrumental in the de - asked Sustrans Cymru to undertake a feasibility study for velopment of the National Cycle Network (often known as incorporating disused railway tunnels into Community the NCN). This is a series of safe, traffic-free paths and Routes / National Cycle Network in South Wales. This of quiet on-road cycling and walking routes that connect to course includes The Rhondda Tunnel and Sustrans Cymru’s every major town and city. The Network passes within a brief included consultation with the Society, hence the mile of half of all UK homes and now stretches over 14,000 meeting. miles across the length and breadth of the UK. Almost 5 Sustran’s report has to be submitted to the Welsh Govern - million people use the National Cycle Network, and despite ment by the end of October 2015. Prior to the meeting, it’s name, the Network isn't just for cyclists, it’s also popu - the Committee had provided a list of wide ranging ques - lar with walkers, joggers, wheelchair users and horse riders tions which Mr Smith endeavoured to answer based on in - too. formation currently available. The meeting began with a About eight years ago, Sustrans Cymru (http://www.sus - presentation of Sustran’s work in relation to the National trans.org.uk/wales) led the campaign for legislation on ac - Cycle Network and safe cycle systems, including ‘quiet - tive travel in Wales. In October 2013, the Welsh Assembly ways,’ in urban areas, and good design. passed world first legislation on active travel that placed a Mr Smith explained that Sustrans’ funding for the National duty on local authorities to plan a network of walking and Cycle Network had been made possible with a lottery grant cycling routes and then work to deliver it. The Active Travel of £43.5 million. However, this source of funding was now (Wales) Act also calls on Welsh Ministers and Councils to exhausted and income streams were reduced. In addition, promote active travel and provide annual updates to the due to the economic downturn, Sustrans’ staffing levels Welsh Assembly. have also been reduced. Consequently, Mr Smith believed THE RHONDDA TUNNEL AND THE NATIONAL that whilst Sustrans Cymru recognise the prospect of re- CYCLE NETWORK IN SOUTH WALES opening The Rhondda Tunnel, at this time, they will not be able to contribute financially to the project nor provide re - A quick look at the Map section of the Sustrans Cymru web sources to plan and manage the construction work. Simi - site shows that there are substantial sections of the Na - larly, Mr Smith believed that Sustrans Cymru would not be tional Cycle Network already in place in South Wales in - in a position to take ownership of a re-opened Rhondda cluding many within the former mining valleys and along Tunnel and manage the on-going maintenance and operation. the “Heads of the Valleys” route from Abergavenny to Swansea. For example, the Afan Route (887) travels be - However, Sustrans Cymru will do all they can to support tween Port Talbot and the Afan Forest Park. It allows ex - The Rhondda Tunnel Society in helping us achieve our vi - ploration of the beautiful countryside of Afan which is a sion. Requests for information were exchanged particu - haven for all sorts of wonderful wildlife and has world-class larly in respect of the Society’s on-going work in relation mountain bike trails. A short section of local route to grant funding. branches off to Blaengwynfi and Abergwynfi but unfortu - There was considerable discussion on the need for inclu - nately goes no further. sion of the Rhondda Fawr in the National Cycle Network In terms of the Rhondda Valleys, it is currently possible to to enhance the viability of a re-opened Rhondda Tunnel. cycle safely from Pontypridd to Porth and up through the It appears that the Rhondda Cynon Taff council has been Rhondda Fach using Route 881 to join Route 47 just south slow in meeting its obligations under The Active Travel of the Lluest-Wen Reservoir. Unfortunately, there is not a (Wales) Act for Route 882 from Porth to Blaencwm. Mr similar provision in the Rhondda Fawr. A further look at the Smith explained that the main issues with creating a new map will show that a re-opened Rhondda Tunnel, with pro - route were finding a feasible route; obtaining the neces - sary land; possible environmental impact; and, of course, cost. Sometimes, sections of “quiet” roads can be incor - Tunnel re-opens to the public, on-going funds will be re - porated where feasible and this helps to keep the cost quired to ensu re its maintenance and safe operation. The down. Both parties agreed to loo k into it and press R CT on question of making a sm all charge for people to use the the matter. tu nnel was discussed. C urrently, Sustrans do n ot m ake In answer to a direct qu esti on, Mr Smith stated that he b e -su ch charge s how ever The Rhondda Tunnel is unique due to its length and the sa fety issues that go with it. lie ved that T he Rhondda Tunnel would be re -opened b ut it will take time a nd money. He understood that The Two Mr Smith finished the meeting b y saying how im pressed Tunnels project in Bath to ok abou t 8 to 1 0 years to come he was with the interest and e nthusiasm that had been to fruition but that The Rhondda Tunnel was already we ll generated for the reopen in g of The Rhondda Tunnel in advanced. M r Sm ith offered to accom pan y mem be rs of su ch a short tim e. He didn’t know what The Rhondda Tu n - the Committee on a visit to The Two Tu nnels project at a nel Society was doing but h e would “like to bottle it” and mutually co nvenie nt time. use it on some of his Sustrans’ proj ects . Praise indeed. The Comm ittee we re shown exam ples of the engineering Society Chairman, Steve Mackey, thank ed Mr Smith for his works incorporated into a number of re-opene d tunnels time, information an d advice; everyone agreed it had be e n inclu ding different int e rnal lightin g system s. M r Smith a very useful meeting. It was also agreed that the parties thou ght that in ordeJr t o produce a robust cost estimate for would continue to exchange information while Sustrans J re-o pening The Rhondda Tunnel, a more detailed inspec - com plete the feasibility study. J tion / survey of the condition of the fabric of the tunnel My Th anks go to Mr David Newto n for help with this article. will be required. This will cost money and will have to be J J includGed in the cost plan. All food for thought for the Com - J JJi m mitt eGe. It was clear to everyone that when The Rhondda J G J J G G G G G G . .. G IN O G . . . N G I G O E N G O After being.