Active Travel fund may be cut by Welsh Government

Wrexham Council's deputy leader has revealed that the national funding for Active Travel may be cut as the Welsh Government attempts to tackle its pothole crisis.

Cllr Dave Bithell told Wrexham's Homes and Environment Scrutiny Committee that Welsh Transport Secretary Ken Skates was considering reducing the Active Travel fund to pay for a resilient roads programme to improve the state of Wales' road network.

The revelation came as the committee received an update on Wrexham's Active Travel programme.

The Active Travel programme is designed to ensure safe and accessible routes for all in key areas - typically incorporating routes to school. The goal across Wales is to see 45% of all journeys made by active travel - walking, cycling or with the use of a wheelchair or mobility scooter - and public transport by 2041. 

This year the programme received around £4.6 million to spend on Wrexham's designated Active Travel routes. An audit of routes showed that 47% of them were rated failed or critically failed, meaning significant work was required to bring them up to standard.

Dyffryn Ceiriog councillor Trevor Bates - who represents the  ward where 'Pothole Land' signs sprung up earlier this month in protest at the state of the roads - asked whether any of the Active Travel budget could be allocated to road repairs. 

"I'm delighted to see that the report mentions Active Travel for all wards," he said. "We don't have a designated cycle route in the Ceiriog Valley but we do have an awful lot of cyclists.

"The one thing they keep telling me is they're fed up of potholes to be honest. I'm just wondering if we could use some of this money?

"If you share out the Active Travel budget among the 56 councillors that equates to about £80,000 - we could use to repair some of these potholes."

Cllr Bithell said that it was possible to look at utilising some parts of Active Travel funding towards road repair, but revealed that discussions were underway to reduce the fund in favour of investing specifically in road repairs.

"I have raised active travel funding with the Transport Secretary Ken Skates," he said. "He has said authorities are allowed to use some aspects of active travel funding for road repairs.

"The minister is looking at reducing the active travel fund down from its current levels to put more money into resilient roads. Those discussions have been taking place with Welsh Government.

"But in respect of potholes, clearly I'm aware of the issues that have been raised around 'Pothole Land'  and I spoke with the Chief Officer for Environment who is is going to arrange a meeting with Cllr Bates in the near future to look at the problems there in detail."

Transport Secretary Ken Skates was approached for comment on the proposals for Active Travel funding.

"I'm not sure it's going to happen this financial year because I know there's differing views in Welsh Government about the use of Active Trave funding.