CWM RHAEADR CRYCHAN FOREST LLANDOVERY Carmarthen to Merlin Druid Newcastle Emlyn Route BRECHFA NCN 47 Carmarthen to Brechfa Merlin Wizard CARMARTHEN Route ST. CLEARS LLANDYBIE CROSS HANDS AMMANFORD KEY: NCN 4 NCN ROUTE 4 NCN ROUTE 47 ACTIVE TRAVEL TOWNS KIDWELLY MOUNTAIN BIKE NCN 47 BASE WALES COASTAL LLANELLI PATH BURY PORT NCN 4 VELODROME LLANGENNECH & HENDY Carmarthenshire: The Cycling Hub of Wales Executive Summary January 2018 Carmarthenshire: The Cycling Hub of Wales | Executive Summary JANUARY 2018 Background Carmarthenshire already has a well-established cycling product. The development of the This Cycling Strategy presents a vision designed to make Carmarthenshire ‘The Cycling Hub of exciting Twyi Valley Cycle Path, the Millennium Coastal Path and the Amman Valley Cycle Path Wales’. all combine to offer excellent off road cycling opportunities. When opened, the refurbished Velodrome will be one of only two in Wales. While in 2018, Carmarthenshire will host a Stage The aims and objectives of the Strategy have been developed following extensive consultation of Tour of Britain. This will build upon numerous events and club rides already hosted in the with a wide range of Stakeholders. County such as the Merlin Ride and Battle on the Beach. This Strategy strikes a balance between developing and promoting cycling for everyday local This Strategy plays a key role in supporting the delivery of not only Active Travel but of all journeys and delivering infrastructure and events capable of attracting the world’s top cyclists aspects of cycling across the County. The Strategy is developed around the following 5 key to Carmarthen. themes, each of which are designed and tailored to maximise cycling opportunities and to The Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 provides the foundation upon which this Strategy is boost participation across all ages and all levels of ability. developed. The Act requires Local Authorities to promote and develop infrastructure to encourage increased walking and cycling in local communities. Infrastructure & Facilities At the beginning of the Active Travel process in 2103 Carmarthenshire had an Existing Route Education Training & Development Network covering 100 kilometres across 9 Active Travel towns. In November 2017, as part of Events the Integrated Network Map submission, Carmarthenshire added an additional 25 kilometres Tourism to the Active Travel Network. The 2017 Active Travel submission to Welsh Government contained plans for continuous route and network improvement over a 15 year period. Marketing & Branding IO CYM EIC RU B S T N E Y L A W B W L F O N O A C B U H T H G E CYCLIN Carmarthenshire: The Cycling Hub of Wales | Executive Summary JANUARY 2018 Our Vision: Carmarthenshire, The Cycling Hub of Wales THEME: THEME: INFRASTRUCTURE Invest £10m in the strategic development of Co-ordinating a varied range of cycle 1 EVENTS 3 & FACILITIES key facilities and infrastructure including: related events across the County: • Ensuring that the Active Travel Network • Work closely with Welsh Cycling and connects people to key destinations Welsh Government • Continually improving the network by • Support a range of events from local to developing quality, safe, comfortable routes elite level • Developing the Dyffryn Tywi Path • Host a stage of the Tour of Britain connecting Llandeilo and Carmarthen • Host a stage of a grand tour • Re-furbishing the historic Outdoor Velodrome in Carmarthen • Constructing the best Closed Circuit Cycling THEME: Work with Tourism providers to: facility in Wales at Pembrey Country Park TOURISM 4 • Develop a more co-ordinated product • Promote Carmarthenshire as the premier THEME: cycling destination in Wales EDUCATION, DEVELOPMENT 2 Improve education, development and • Work with Visit Wales to increase profile & TRAINING training by: • Giving every child the opportunity to learn to ride a bike THEME: • Supporting Pathways from grassroots to Improve Marketing & Branding by: elite level cycling MARKETING 5 & BRANDING • Developing a social media campaign to • Promoting social inclusion increase brand awareness • Embracing technology • Developing a co-ordinated approach to These themes are supported by the following Welsh Government information provision and Welsh Cycling strategies and initiatives; WELSH GOVERNMENT WELL BEING OF FUTURE WELSH CYCLING STRATEGY 2013 - 2020 SWANSEA BAY CITY REGION ACTIVE TRAVEL ACT GENERATIONS (WALES) ACT 2015 Carmarthenshire: The Cycling Hub of Wales | Executive Summary JANUARY 2018 EVERY CHILD GIVEN OPEN THE CLOSED THE OPPORTUNITY ROAD CIRCUIT IN TOUR OF COMPLETE THE HOST A GRAND CARMARTHENSHIRE TO LEARN TO CYCLE PEMBREY BRITAIN TWYI VALLEY PATH TOUR STAGE THE CYCLING HUB OF WALES OPEN THE NEWLY REFURBISHED DEVELOP ACTIVE FESTIVAL OF TOUR OF VELODROME TRAVEL ROUTES CYCLING CARMARTHENSHIRE 2018 2028 CYCLE TRAINING IN ALL SCHOOLS CONTINUED INVESTMENT IN INFRASTRUCTURE ACROSS THE NETWORK IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ACTIVE TRAVEL ACT PROMOTE SOCIAL INCLUSION AND IMPROVE ACCESSIBILITY FOR RESIDENTS A PROMOTIONAL CAMPAIGN TO PROMOTE CYCLING IN CARMARTHENSHIRE WORK WITH TOURISM PROVIDERS TO DEVELOP A MORE INTEGRATED PRODUCT IO CYM EIC RU DELIVER AN ANNUAL CALENDAR OF NATIONAL CYCLE COMPETITIONS B S T N E PROMOTE CARMARTHENSHIRE AS THE HUB OF WELSH CYCLING Y L A W B W L F O N O A C B U H T H G E CYCLIN Carmarthenshire: The Cycling Hub of Wales | Executive Summary JANUARY 2018 Cycling in Carmarthenshire CWM RHAEADR With an extensive 3,487 kilometre road network, the second longest in Wales, CRYCHAN Carmarthenshire has the third highest traffic volume in Wales. With over 80 miles of pristine FOREST coastline, and some of the most breath-taking scenery in the UK, Carmarthenshire is well LLANDOVERY Carmarthen to Merlin Druid placed at the heart of South Wales. To the East of the County is the industrial centre of Wales Newcastle Emlyn Route BRECHFA and the economic powerhouses of, Cardiff and Swansea. The County is central to the NCN 47 Pembrokeshire Coast National Park to the West, The Gower peninsular to the East, and the Carmarthen to Cambrian Mountains and Brecon Beacons National Park to the North and North East. Brechfa The county attracted over 3.1 million visitors in 2014. Day trippers increased by 7.4% in 2014 Merlin Wizard and overnight visitors increased by 2.2% on 2013 levels. This generated over £340m for the CARMARTHEN Route ST. CLEARS local economy. LLANDYBIE CROSS HANDS Carmarthenshire already has a well-established cycling product. The Millennium Coastal Path, AMMANFORD KEY: Brechfa, Cwm Rhaeadr and Crychan Forest offer world class mountain biking facilities, while NCN ROUTE 4 NCN 4 every type of road cyclists from the novice to the hard core enthusiast can be catered for on NCN ROUTE 47 ACTIVE TRAVEL TOWNS numerous different routes and trails that weave across the Garden of Wales. KIDWELLY MOUNTAIN BIKE NCN 47 BASE In addition there is the soon to be refurbished Velodrome in Carmarthen, is one of only two WALES COASTAL LLANELLI PATH outdoor velodrome facilities in Wales and is home to the National Track cycling competitions. BURY PORT NCN 4 VELODROME LLANGENNECH & HENDY Contains Ordnance Survey data © Crown copyright and database right 2010 In Wales, the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 means that Local Authorities are legally bound to plan and provide a comprehensive network of routes so that walking and cycling become the most desirable ways to get around for everyday journeys. This will inevitably lead to an increase in the number of journeys undertaken by foot and bicycle. Carmarthenshire County Council has been proactive in supporting and developing walking and cycling over recent years complying and promoting the principles of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013. However, a step change is required to achieve the aspiration of making Carmarthenshire the number one destination for cycling in Wales. IO CYM This Strategy has been developed in partnership with local Cycling EIC RU B S T N E Clubs, grass roots participants and schools as well as representatives Y L A W from Welsh Cycling, Sustrans and the Welsh Government. B W L F O N O A C B U H T H G E CYCLIN Carmarthenshire: The Cycling Hub of Wales | Executive Summary JANUARY 2018 Carmarthenshire - The Future London had the Olympics, Glasgow had the Commonwealth Games, Yorkshire had the Tour de Many key employment sites have improved cycling facilities and are connected to an France. Now imagine the whole of Wales has turned pink as Carmarthenshire hosts the Gran increasing network of cycle routes, resulting in reduced demand for parking spaces and Fondo for the Giro D Italia. The Giro is unparalleled as one of the worlds most iconic sporting improved access for everyone, especially those without access to a car. Increasingly, bicycles events. Over 170,000 visitors, contributed over £3 million into the local economy, while a are replacing the car as the vehicle of choice for the commute to work. flotilla of television cameras beamed postcard prefect images of Carmarthenshire to a TV audience of over 775 million people. The County has become a magnet for cyclists from all across Wales, the UK and beyond. Following years of investment Carmarthenshire now has a cycling infrastructure that is the Winning the Giro is up there as one of the high points of a cyclists career but hosting the event envy of the world. provided Carmarthenshire with prime time advertising opportunities in 174 countries across the world, as racing drama unfolded against a backdrop of stunning coastline and countryside. Carmarthenshire has transformed itself into ‘the hub of Cycling in Wales’. The newly refurbished Velodrome, the Closed Road Circuit at Pembrey, the Tywi Valley Cycle Path and an expanding network of Active Travel routes all combine to offer novices, leisure cyclists and elite riders a growing number of world class cycling opportunities in the Heart of Wales. The County is criss-crossed by a network of well maintained, direct, well signed cycle routes that connect residential areas with shopping, employment, healthcare and leisure facilities.