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Wye Valley link goes for Judicial Review
Posted on Saturday, August 18 @ 22:36:14 BST by max.wallis
Anonymous writes "RESIDENTS won leave to challenge a section of the Wye Valley route in the High Court on Thursday (16 August). The case spearheaded by local villager Judy Lewis appears very contrived.
The barrister for Ms Lewis argued that Monmouthshire County Council’s handling of the cycle route was so “confused” that its decision to grant planning permission in September last year cannot be allowed to stand.
Monmouthshire council granted permission to Sustrans for a local cycle and pedestrian route to be constructed along a disused railway track between Brockweir Bridge and Tintern Old Station in the heart of the Wye Valley’s Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Despite Sustrans being well-known sponsor of the National Cycle Network, residents claim they thought it was to be a local cycle route, and were uanware the route could become linked into UK cycle networks.
The barrister claimed residents fear joining the cycle route to a national network would lead to too many people travelling through the protected area, as well as adding to traffic and parking congestion which is already a problem there.
If the route forms part of the National Cycle Network, Mrs Lewis is worried “excessive numbers” of visitors to the valley would damage the “unspoiled and peaceful AONB”.
The barrister, Mr Kolinsky also argued that if the route is to be a national one locals had not been consulted on it. The issue of whether the route is to be national or local “might well have made a difference” to the council’s decision, he told the judge Mr Justice Stanley Burnton.
Rupert Crosbee, Sustrans’ regional negotiator, said after the hearing, “The proposed route will form part of Sustrans Connect2 project, which aims to transform local travel in 79 communities across the UK, building bridges, tunnels and new crossings over barriers such as busy roads, rivers and railways, making it possible for people to walk and cycle to work, shops and schools.
“The Tintern scheme aims to create a route for walkers and cyclists between Brockweir and Tintern, so people can travel between the two in a healthy and sustainable way, avoiding the busy A466.”
He added that planning permission for the route had been granted following full public consultation, and that the route planned to link Brockweir and Tintern had a key part to play in the maintenance of the Wye Valley’s AONB.
Mr Crosbee said the route would encourage locals to travel by foot and bike, and that more cycle routes in the area could help alleviate its traffic congestion and parking problems.
(adapted from the Western Mail report of 17 August - Max Wallis)
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