PUBLIC CONSULTATION: Wyesham Active Travel Links (Monmouth) WelTAG Stage Two Study
Have your say
We would like to hear your views on the list of potential options designed to improve active travel links between the proposed new Active Travel Bridge across the River Wye and Wyesham.
We recommend you view the plans via the options below and read this page to find out more about the scheme.
Why have changes been proposed?
The route from Wyesham into Monmouth town centre is heavily utilised by residents, children (traveling to and from schools), tourists and visitors. The existing pedestrian facilities are however limited, whilst there are no cycling facilities at all. Links within the study area have failed the active travel audits carried out by Monmouthshire County Council in September 2020. As proposals for the Wye Active Travel Bridge have emerged, the importance of connecting active travel links from the surrounding areas to and from the new bridge has been highlighted.
Scheme Objectives
The objectives of this scheme are to:
- Provide a direct, coherent, comfortable and attractive walking and cycling network suitable for all users;
- Increase levels of sustainable access to education, employment health and other key services;
- Improve actual and perceived safety of vulnerable users;
- Increase the number of people walking and cycling between Wyesham and Monmouth town centre;
- Reduce car dependency and car use for short trips between Wyesham and Monmouth town centre through a modal shift; and
- Reduce the negative impacts of transport on the natural and built environment (i.e., improve air quality, improve public realm, provide sustainable drainage infrastructure, etc.)
The Proposals
Projects such as this one are usually progressed over several years from concept through to detailed design and are then dependent on the approval of funding from bodies such as Welsh Government for the construction phase. We are currently at an early stage of the design process. The preferred option will be selected based on several aspects, including public consultation results, option deliverability (where land ownership will play a key part), cost implications, and option performance against national, regional and local objectives, ambitions and priorities.
Due to the size of the study area, the route has been split into two sections, as described below.
Route Section One – from Proposed New Active Travel Bridge to Wyesham Road
Option 1: proposes to widen the existing footway on the northern side of the A466 and A4136 to provide an off-road shared footway/cycleway from the Active Travel Bridge to Wyesham Road achieved through slight narrowing down of the carriageway and structural support of embankment. The two existing uncontrolled pedestrian refuge island crossings would be replaced with controlled crossing facilities. All side road junctions would be re-designed to accommodate an active travel route.
Option 2: as Option 1 but partially below the existing road level (between Riverside Park and Redbrook Road). A shared pedestrian/cycle route would commence from the junction with Riverside Park and run below the existing road level of the A466. A ramp would then connect it to the existing footway (bring up to the footway level) opposite the junction with Redbrook Road. The existing footway on the southern side of the A466 would remain unaffected.
Route Section Two – Wyesham Road and Wyesham Avenue
Option 1: one-way system eastbound Wyesham Road (In) / Wyesham Avenue (Out), after junction with Wyesham Avenue, the carriageway would revert to two-way traffic. A shared footway/cycleway would be provided on southern side of Wyesham Road to Kymin View Primary School. The carriageway width on Wyesham Avenue would be reduced and footway widened. No loss of parking on Wyesham Avenue. Potential to include links from Wyesham Avenue to Wyesham Road behind St James’s Church and through community woodland.
Option 2: same as Option 1 but westbound Wyesham Avenue (In) / Wyesham Road (Out)
Option 3: maintain two-way traffic throughout with quiet streets principle applied to Wyesham Road and Wyesham Avenue. ‘Quiet streets’ is a term given to urban cycling routes on low traffic speed and volume back streets, which are particularly suitable for new and less confident cyclists. Wyesham Road and Wyesham Avenue have been earmarked for a 20mph speed limit, which will suit the quiet streets principle. A cycle route would be provided on-road with traffic, with cycle symbols used to sign the route and indicate the correct positioning for cycling within the carriageway. Footways would be widened where possible for pedestrian use only. A consideration will be given to include links from Wyesham Avenue to Wyesham Road behind St James’s Church and through community woodland. There is also a potential to include a short length of Shared Use (Pedestrian and Cycleway) Footway from the Wyesham Road junction with Wyesham Avenue to Kymin View School.
Quiet Streets – DE205: CLICK HERE
Option sifting
At the start of this project and in line with the Welsh Transport Appraisal Process the project team developed a wide list of possible solutions, sufficient to be able to decide whether there are any scheme options worth pursuing and to select a short list of options (as detailed above) for more detailed consideration. Options were shortlisted based on:
- their ability to prevent, or solve the problem now and in the future;
- their ability to meet the objectives set and improve the social, cultural, environmental and economic well-being of Wales;
- their short- and longer-term impacts to deliver multiple benefits across the four aspects of well-being and maximise contribution to all seven well-being goals;
- their deliverability; and
- their robustness to uncertainty and potential to drive long lasting change.
The Wyesham Road/Avenue route is currently the priority to link Wyesham to Monmouth town and is required to be designed and built to accompany the new Active Travel Bridge. Unfortunately, all options to improve the Redbrook Road route require land purchase and substantial retaining structures, which could take years to agree. This could significantly delay and even jeopardize the scheme. As such, the Redbrook Road section has been excluded from this scheme and our current focus in on the Wyesham Road/Avenue route, which will support delivery of the new Active Travel Bridge.
Your opinion
We want to hear your opinions on each of these shortlisted options. You can express your thoughts by clicking on the survey link below.
Please encourage members of your household and others to undertake the survey since your responses may not necessarily reflect the views of others.
By completing this survey, you are agreeing for this data to be used for this purpose by Monmouthshire County Council and by WSP (RE&I).
Your personal information will be processed by Monmouthshire County Council on behalf of WSP (RE&I). We will only collect your data for this purpose and any sharing of data will be anonymised. This form does not capture your name or contact details. For more information about privacy visit https://www.monmouthshire.gov.uk/your-privacy/
By submitting this form, you are consenting to your information being processed for the purpose as outlined above.
This post is also available in: Welsh