RESIDENTS in Carmarthenshire have raised their concerns over a cycle path scheme that is planned for the Towy Valley.

Members of the Carmarthenshire Residents Action Group (CRAiG Sir Gar) spoke at a recent meeting of the Carmarthenshire County Council’s cabinet about the plans to build a multi-million-pound cycle path.

The residents state that the UK Government had provided £16.7m of funding through the Levelling-Up fund, but state that if its not spent by March 2024, then it will expire.

The group says the cycle path had been welcomed in principle, but raised questions about the location along the floodplain, and the council making compulsory purchases.

Cllr Edward Thomas, cabinet member for transport, waste and infrastructure, stated that out of the 100+ areas of land and attendance rights in the compulsory purchase order to create the cycle route, five areas of land were voluntarily sold, and agreement via negotiation took place on a further six areas.

Havard Hughes, spokesperson for Carmarthenshire Residents Action Group, said: “The Towy Valley cycle path is a prestige project, and it has been previously confirmed that the successful bid for nearly £17 million in funds for this scheme has barred Carmarthenshire from bidding for other levelling-up funds.

“The council therefore owes it to residents to ensure that this multi-million-pound funding does not go to waste.

"Given that Welsh Government has had to hand back some £155m of funding assigned by UK Government because it failed to spend it in time, it is deeply troubling that Carmarthenshire County Council has confirmed that there are ‘no guarantees’ that the funding for the cycle path might not be lost.

“While the £17 million funding for the Towy Valley cycle path has a firm deadline, it seems that there has been poor planning by Carmarthenshire County Council.

"They seem to have failed to scope out cycle path adequately and then have been surprised by large scale and significant opposition to the cycle path from local landowners.

“Worse still, it has emerged that Natural Resources Wales had also raised concerns on flooding, which apparently took Carmarthenshire by surprise.

"Flooding, as Towy Valley residents attest, is a common issue along the river. Time and tides in the Towy Valley clearly wait for no councillor nor indeed a £17 million cycle path scheme.”

Cabinet Member for Transport, Waste and Infrastructure Services, Cllr. Edward Thomas said: “The Towy Valley Path scheme continues to progress.

"A decision on the planning application for the eastern section is expected shortly and land negotiations are taking place in tandem with Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) proceedings which have recently been initiated to secure land required for the scheme.”