Newport West AM Rosemary Butler is throwing her support behind a Lottery Fund bid worth £400,000 which would help to create a major network of cycle routes between Newport and the Lower Usk Valley.

If successful the scheme would see cycle paths, which could also be used by walkers and people with disabilities, linking up Caerleon, Malpas and the centre of Newport. It would be part of a £5.2m overall scheme which would establish further routes to the Celtic Manor Resort and Wentwood Forest.

The bid is led by the sustainable transport charity, Sustrans, and would be part of a scheme known as Connect2 to provide new walking and cycling routes in cities throughout the UK. Newport would be one of the biggest projects.

Sustrans say the plan would create an attractive, mainly level riverside route linking up the centre of Newport with Malpas, two University Campuses, the Roman fortress at Caerleon, and lead on to the countryside around the Celtic Manor Resort and Wentwood.

Rosemary Butler says:

“This is an exciting and imaginative scheme which would be of enormous benefit to people in Newport. At the moment cyclists, walkers and disabled people have to rely on busy and often hilly routes in order to reach Caerleon and the beautiful countryside beyond.”

“If successful it will complement other cycle paths and Safe Routes to School which are already planned for the area.

“I would urge people in Newport and in Wales as a whole to get behind this scheme and give it their wholehearted support.”



Lee Waters, Director of Sustrans Cymru says:

“We feel that if this bid is successful it will change the way people choose to travel around the area, making walking and cycling a real option. But to make this happen we need to get everyone to back the scheme. The final decision on funding will be made by the public so we are urging everyone to come onto our website to register their support at www.sustransconnect2.org.uk”



To help secure the funding for this and 78 other schemes across Wales and the rest of the UK Sustrans is competing against five other projects for a single £50m grant from the Big Lottery Fund.
The winners will be decided by a public vote on television in early December.

The bid is supported by Newport City Council, Caerleon Tourism Forum, Visit Wales, the University College of Wales, Newport, Caerleon Comprehensive School and Caerleon Arts Festival who are already in discussion with Sustrans about a possible sculpture trail along the route.