Work on an active travel route linking Pencoed with Pencoed College is set to start in the New Year.
In July, Bridgend County Borough Council received a £3m grant from Welsh Government to improve cycle ways and footpaths, including almost £2.6m for a package of work along the planned active travel route between Bridgend and Pencoed College.
Active travel means walking or cycling for everyday short-distance journeys. It covers trips to school, shops, work, services and transport hubs. It can include the use of electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters but does not include journeys made purely for recreation, or social reasons.
Work on the Pencoed to Pencoed College section will begin on Monday, 4 January, and will last for 12 weeks. The scheme will cost £656,000.
A new toucan crossing will be constructed to provide safe access to the college, the existing footway along the A473 will be widened into a shared use footway/cycleway, and the existing pelican crossings on Felindre roundabout will be upgraded to toucan crossings.
This will link to the existing active travel network that goes through Pencoed on Felindre Road and Coychurch Road, through Coychurch, across Coychurch Roundabout and into Bridgend Industrial Estate.
Cabinet member for communities Councillor Richard Young said: “Every effort will be taken to minimise disruption for drivers when these works commence in January.
“The new route will make it safer for residents and students to cycle and walk to Pencoed College, encouraging less car use, which will help cut environmental pollution in the area.
“When the works are completed and subject to other schemes getting funding, the active travel route will stretch all the way from Pencoed College to Bridgend town centre.”
Earlier this month, work began on a £580,000 safe pedestrian and cycle route around Waterton roundabout and a consultation is due to be carried out in the New Year into plans to make the temporary active travel route on Cowbridge Road permanent.
Active travel route could become permanent
An active travel route which would link Waterton roundabout with the town centre could become permanent.
In June, Bridgend County Borough Council received almost £620,000 from the Welsh Government for temporary and permanent active travel routes. This included a 2.5km section incorporating Kingsway Avenue on the Bridgend Industrial Estate, to Cowbridge Road.
Active travel means walking or cycling for everyday short-distance journeys. It covers trips to school, shops, work, services and transport hubs. Also, it can include the use of electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters. It does not include journeys purely for recreation, or social reasons.
A temporary route has been in place for several weeks along Cowbridge Road and the council now plans to make that permanent if funding is secured from the Welsh Government and plans are approved. The proposal includes creating safer crossings at the York Road junction with Bridgend Industrial Estate.
The route will link up with a new pedestrian and cycle route which is currently being created around Waterton roundabout. This will provide a link to the Brocastle active travel route on the A48 which is currently being built, as well as a number of pedestrian routes in the area, providing safe crossing facilities where there are none at the moment.
Cabinet member for communities Councillors Richard Young said: “This scheme would help to link up the Coychurch roundabout with the town centre and form part of a network of active travel routes across the county borough.
“It is hoped that if funding is secured and the plans approved, work could begin next year. Active travel routes aim to improve safety conditions to enable those who want to walk or cycle to leave their cars at home, helping reduce congestion and environmental pollution.
“A consultation into turning the Cowbridge Road active travel route into a permanent one will be launched in the new year with residents along the road receiving a letter and drawing of the proposed route and an invitation to share their views.”