Chepstow’s Safer Routes in the Community scheme, started last year by Monmouthshire County Council to provide improvements in and around the town is due for completion this week.
The scheme has provided a number of road crossings, wider footways and cycle tracks, along with resurfacing works and other environmental improvements with the final works scheduled this week for Chepstow Racecourse, well in advance of the Welsh Grand National on December 27th.
The total value of the scheme is approximately £1m, with the majority of the funding coming from the Welsh Government, supplemented by the county council and contributions from Chepstow Racecourse and Section 106 housing developments within the area. The works have been undertaken by Abergavenny civil engineering firm Alan Griffiths and offer improved facilities for residents and visitors through a combination of road safety and traffic improvements. These include six additional zebra crossings throughout the town at Thornwell, Bulwark, Chepstow Racecourse and Welsh Street, along with a new puffin crossing on the A466 at Barnetts Woods. Other measures include a wider and improved combined footway and cycleway along Welsh Street, Denbighshire Drive and along the A466 to St Arvans with a new lower speed limit and improved access arrangements at Chepstow Racecourse.
Speaking about the completion of the works, the cabinet member for county operations Councillor Bryan Jones said: “This is a significant investment in Chepstow, offering measures to improve safety and traffic arrangements for everybody within the town. In addition to the road safety benefits which are designed to encourage more people to walk and cycle in and around Chepstow, the works have provided upgraded road and footway surfaces within the area and therefore offer improvements to the whole community and not just schools. I am particularly pleased that we were able to extend the works to St Arvans and also address concerns outside Chepstow Racecourse. Improvements such as these within the town also support tourism which makes up such a valuable part of the local economy.”
