Work to begin on Pencoed College active travel route

Work on an active travel route linking Pencoed with Pencoed College is set to start in the New Year.

In July, Bridgend County Borough Council received a £3m grant from Welsh Government to improve cycle ways and footpaths, including almost £2.6m for a package of work along the planned active travel route between Bridgend and Pencoed College.

Active travel means walking or cycling for everyday short-distance journeys. It covers trips to school, shops, work, services and transport hubs. It can include the use of electric wheelchairs or mobility scooters but does not include journeys made purely for recreation, or social reasons.

Work on the Pencoed to Pencoed College section will begin on Monday, 4 January, and will last for 12 weeks. The scheme will cost £656,000.

A new toucan crossing will be constructed to provide safe access to the college, the existing footway along the A473 will be widened into a shared use footway/cycleway, and the existing pelican crossings on Felindre roundabout will be upgraded to toucan crossings.

This will link to the existing active travel network that goes through Pencoed on Felindre Road and Coychurch Road, through Coychurch, across Coychurch Roundabout and into Bridgend Industrial Estate.

Every effort will be taken to minimise disruption for drivers when these works commence in January.

The new route will make it safer for residents and students to cycle and walk to Pencoed College, encouraging less car use, which will help cut environmental pollution in the area.

When the works are completed and subject to other schemes getting funding, the active travel route will stretch all the way from Pencoed College to Bridgend town centre.

Cabinet member for communities Richard Young

Earlier this month, work began on a £580,000 safe pedestrian and cycle route around Waterton roundabout and a consultation is due to be carried out in the New Year into plans to make the temporary active travel route on Cowbridge Road permanent.