Walkers, tourism businesses and enthusiasts for the great outdoors in Monmouthshire have received good news this week after the county council received an extra £11,800 from the Welsh Government to boost its rights of way improvement grant for 2011 to £57,014.
Principal Countryside Access Officer, Ruth Rourke, said: “The extra funding is most welcome and will assist us to complete the quality assurance checking of our new database and mapping system. It moves the county much further forward to providing a new Definitive Map for rights of way which was last published in 1967. The new working digital map will be made available to the public on our website very shortly.”
Other projects that will benefit from the extra funding are the production of a Countryside Access Design Guide, a survey of the Three Castles Walk which links Whte Castle, Skenfrith and Grosmont, new waymarking for St Tewdrig’s Trail near Chepstow, improvements to the surfacing of a restricted byway in Wentwood, promotional material for 30 circular walks across Monmouthshire, twice yearly maintenance for regional routes (Wye Valley Walk, Usk Valley Walk and Three Castles Walk), new boardwalks and bridges.
The Rights of Way Improvement grant is administered by the Countryside Council for Wales. The Welsh Government acknowledges the importance that rights of way play in improving the health and prosperity of the nation and provided £1.1million in 2011/12, which has been divided between local authorities responsible for rights of way improvement plans. A further £300,000 has now been made available across Wales.
