Plans to improve Welshpool for pedestrians and cyclists is set to begin soon as construction work to widen a path along a town centre road is about to start.

Work to create a travel route from the railway station to the bridge over the Montgomery Canal along Severn Road is scheduled to begin on Monday, November 27.

Powys County Council said the route will form the first part of a wider project to create a local active travel network, which the local authority claims will make journeys for cyclists and pedestrians easier throughout the entire town.

The existing path on Severn Road will be widened as part of the project, becoming a shared path for cyclists and pedestrians, while improvements will be made to the surface and drainage. The council says these changes will enhance safety for all users.

Powys County Council said the improvements will be of particular importance for families and pupils going to and from the nearby Ysgol Gymraeg y Trallwng as well as commuters using the railway station.

OTHER NEWS:

Councillor Jackie Charlton, Cabinet Member for a Greener Powys, said: “Welsh Government have made it clear that walking and cycling must be the natural mode of choice for short everyday journeys, or as part of a longer journey in combination with other sustainable modes, and the continued investment into practical active travel routes within Powys will help us achieve this vision.

“Not only do these routes improve road, pedestrian and cyclist safety, they also provide us with the opportunity to improve our health and wellbeing by being more active, as well as contributing to reducing emissions and combating the current climate emergency by enabling us to prioritise walking and cycling, rather than using the car, for short, local journeys.”

The scheme was first announced in June 2023, with Powys County Council stating that the project would be delivered with Welsh Government funding and support from Transport for Wales.

At the time, Welshpool Town Councillor Richard Church said: “These improvements, along with the development of the active travel provision, will make it a safe route for young and old people alike, by linking these new facilities to both the town centre and the railway station.”

The council added that they aim to keep disruption along Severn Road and the rest of Welshpool to a minimum throughout the construction process.