Caldicot Strategic Scheme

We are developing active travel routes across Severnside to better connect residents to local destinations and public transport services. We aim to improve equity of access to education, employment, local shops and services, to support sustainable, resilient and connected communities across Severnside.

You can see from our Caldicot Active Travel Locality Map (see bottom of page), the distances involved are often short enough to be walked, wheeled or cycled. The fact that they are currently often done by car makes alternatives to driving less attractive to others too – this is an issue that could grow as more people move to the area. Caldicot, at the eastern end of the Severnside network, will benefit from improved transport options and mitigate the potential impact of population growth. We are building accessible routes and links in Caldicot to ensure active travel can be a safe, direct and comfortable way to get to where you need to go.

Education Scheme Phases 1 & 2

As part of developing the wider Active Travel network for Caldicot and the Severnside area, Monmouthshire County Council (MCC) is proposing redesign of the layout and traffic management for Woodstock Way in Caldicot, including the junction with Mill Lane. Through the proposed redesign, we aim to improve the safety and quality of the environment for those living and traveling in the local area.

Scheme specific, ringfenced funding has been granted by Welsh Government from the Active Travel Fund for the construction of the proposed Woodstock Way redesign as early as possible this year, pending local approval.

Woodstock Way scheme

The Woodstock Way scheme is designed to mitigate identified local travel problems around Caldicot Comprehensive School, in a way that encourages use of active travel. The scheme has been designed with analysis of traffic flows (motorised and non-motorised), swept paths and local incident data, to maximise safety and efficiency of travel. This scheme has been prioritised because of the high proportion of children and young people in the area due to the presence of the schools and Leisure Centre. Encouraging this segment of the population to walk or cycle will support students’ ability to learn and concentrate and the forming of lifelong healthy habits. 

What does the Woodstock Way scheme aim to deliver?

• Woodstock Way/Mill Lane junction redesign with new traffic lights incorporating signalised pedestrian and cycling crossings.
• Improvements to surfacing, tactiles, signage, and rollable accessibility.
• Redesign of layout of footways and roadways on Woodstock Way to just beyond the Mill Lane junction, to make a 3-metre-wide shared use active travel path.
• Conversion of existing puffin crossing outside Aldi to a Toucan crossing to accommodate cycles and pedestrian traffic.
• Repositioning of Gray Hill Surgery bus stops (north and south side) eastwards and removal of Aldi bus stop (south side) as the Grey Hill bus stop would be brought closer.
• Signage to indicate traffic order to restrict HGVs from turning off Woodstock Way southwards onto Mill Lane (buses excepted).

The Woodstock Way scheme is part of the Severnside Spinal Route. Building on the Woodstock Way scheme, designs are in development to later make these additional improvements to Mill Lane:

• Continue the shared use active travel paths from north west and south east Woodstock Way down Mill Lane to the entrance to the Leisure Centre car park, increasing capacity for active travel and creating a more direct Park & Stride route to Caldicot Comprehensive School from the Leisure Centre car park.
• Install Sustainable Urban Drainage (SUDs) planting and drainage as part of the new layout on Mill Lane, for improved rain-water management and environmental benefits.

What is the change we expect to see?

• Safer, more pleasant environment
• Calmer traffic movements
• Biodiversity and air quality improvements
• Increase in local use of active travel

Caldicot Links Scheme

The Caldicot Links proposal is a phased, multi-element scheme. It aims to create an integrated network of routes that will have dedicated shared use facilities, connecting residents of Caldicot and Severnside to places of education and work, as well as shops and services. Its development supports improved equity of access, green infrastructure, well-being activities, destination management and local economic development actions. 

This proposal would provide routes and route improvements between existing and planned residential areas and the town centre, focused on the northeast and east of Caldicot, Caldicot Castle and Country Park and the Greenway (formerly the Dinham railway MoD branch line) – areas included in the Replacement Local Development Plan (RLDP). This scheme aims to create the east Caldicot connection to Church Road, which saw footway, crossing and planting/drainage improvements to calm traffic and create an environment that is more conducive to active travel, constructed in 2022. Caldicot Links scheme phases:

Phase 1: [Currently in construction / Constructed 2023/24] Running along the route of the old ex-Ministry of Defence Dinham railway line, from just south of the Cornfield at Portskewett, to level with Caldicot Castle Country Park.

Phases 2 & 3: From level with the country park northwards to Crick, crossing the northeast Caldicot RLDP sites. Route alignment is in development.

Phase 4: The Multi-User Route: Running through the Country Park connecting Church Road to Phases 1, 2 and 3 and Caldicot Road to the east. Route alignment is in development.

More details of Caldicot Active Travel Links and Multi-User Route can be found Here Caldicot Active Travel Links and Multi-User Route – Q&A – Monlife

Caldicot Active Travel Locality Map

This post is also available in: Welsh