Llyr Gruffydd MS Member of the Senedd for North Wales

Llyr Gruffydd MS with Councillor Emrys Wynne on the A525 between Ruthin and Denbigh

A Plaid Cymru councillor and the North Wales regional MS have joined forces to push for a better cycling and walking route in the Vale of Clwyd.

The call to develop an active Travel Route linking Ruthin and Denbigh came from Councillor Emrys Wynne, who represents Ruthin.

In response to Denbighshire County Council’s ‘County Conversation’, Cllr Emrys Wynne has emphasised the need for previous plans to develop a Cycle/Walking Route linking Ruthin and Denbigh to be revisited and included for prioritising in the next Denbighshire Corporate Plan. Whilst cyclists and walkers are now able to cycle and walk safely along a dedicated route between Ruthin and Rhewl, it’s not possible to continue the journey beyond these two places without using busy rural A and B-class roads.

He said: "By prioritising an Active Travel Route in its new Corporate Plan, Denbighshire County Council will be obliged to seek funding to progress such a scheme. Funding and manpower will be required for conducting an initial feasibility study, which will lead to making a clear and strong case for developing the Active Travel Route. This strong case would be presented to the Welsh Government along an application for adequate funding for its development.

"Having an Active Travel Route that will allow people to cycle to Denbigh and eventually onwards towards St Asaph, a 12-mile cycle/walking route will link up with the current St Asaph-Rhyl route and join the 109-mile long Holyhead to Chester North Wales Coastal Route."

Cllr Wynne’s submission to DCC’s County Conversation also mentions the need for a safe cycling and walking route linking Pwllglas and Ruthin via Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd. The Ruthin to Rhewl route is popular with both cyclists and walkers. A similar Active Travel route to Llanfair Dyffryn Clwyd and beyond to Pwllglas and Llysfasi would be beneficial for both users and the local economy.

He added that a cross-party alliance was needed to push this forward: "Denbighshire Council members representing the communities along the A525 between Ruthin and Denbigh fully support the need to progress an Active Travel Route between the two towns."

Llyr Gruffydd, Plaid Cymru's North Wales MS, said he was fully behind the active travel proposal: "Busy roads are not the most suitable for walkers and cyclists to enjoy the benefits of the countryside and many people are put off by the volume of traffic. I would like to see a dedicated active travel route linking these two important towns as part of a wider network of routes to encourage people to travel by foot or bicycle for the benefit of the environment and their own health and wellbeing.