Comments of the Brecon Beacons Local Access Forum on the Active Travel (Wales) Bill

      1. Yes - it can secure the maintenance of and, hopefully, significally enhance facilities for walkers and cyclists for the future.

      2.

            *This will be a valuable exercise - identifying links missing from safe routes, which as developments are planned or as funding becomes available, can be implemented.

            *Yes

            *Yes

            * A key stipulation, not least because the cost is greatly reduced by being part of the whole project.

       3. By concentrating on dual use (pedestrian and cycling) the Bill recognises the major difficulties that can arise trying to accomodate, for example, horse riders,cyclists and young children walking to school on a single route, which we raised.

        4. Largely valid.

        5. and 6. Priorities - with limited resources allocation of funding to maintain existing networks  (vital for the Tourism Income both locally and nationally) has to be balanced against the longer term gains to the Health Budget and reduction of vehicle pollution by enhancing walking and cycling facilities in the communities of 2000+.  

        7. About right.

        8. Teams of volunteers augment the work of experienced staff such as Wardens in the National Park. Their salaries, along with the cost of maintaining networks and furniture through Welsh Government funding via CCW in recent years for the whole of Wales, plus Local Authority contributions, was only a few percent of estimated Tourism Income. It could represent the cost of a  few km of Motorway, or considered a modest health and environmental investment.

             The Bill must ensure that a basic level of funding is established and guaranteed for  some years so that qualified staff are there to work with increasing numbers of volunteers, and that maintenance AND enhancement can be efficiently planned.