The Conwy Estuary Strategic Route is a project planned to provide a coastal path, suitable for pedestrians and cyclists, that will link the communities of Llandudno, Conwy, Deganwy and Glan Conwy. The project will also provide improvements at Conwy Quay that will encourage tourism through the provision of an improved pedestrianised open space, sympathetically designed to complement its setting adjacent to the World Heritage Site.

The path will improve access to the marine environment for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities whilst protecting the priority habitats such as the dune system through the provision of a formalised route at its base. The provision of this route will encourage people to use sustainable forms of transport completely segregated from vehicular traffic in a beautiful environment boasting unique views across the breadth of the estuary.

The project will be funded by a complicated cocktail of funding bodies and approximately half the funding will be sourced from the European Union’s Structural Funds. Objective 1 is designed to provide grant aid for projects that address socio-economic disparities through the sustainable development of economic activities, the protection and improvement of the environmental and the promotion of equal opportunity for all sectors of the population.

The project has received Local Planning Authority and CADW Ancient Monument Consent approvals.

Project Details

Construction Commencement Date: June 2004

Construction Completion Date: December 2006

Project Cost: £6.4m

Benefits

The benefits of the route can be categorised into: Environmental; Health and Socio-Economic classifications. The table below illustrates how the project is synonymous with many of the aims of the National Assembly for Wales:

The route epitomises the ethos of sustainable transport as it would cater solely for pedestrians and cyclists and would therefore contribute to the improvement of local air quality due to the reduced use of vehicles between communities. A voluntary Environmental Impact Assessment has been carried out to ensure that the environmental effects associated with the construction of the scheme are minimised.

Conwy County saw a 9.9% increase in people aged 16-74 in employment using a bicycle to travel to work between 1991 and 2001 (source: Wales Spatial Plan). Cycling saw the biggest percentage increase, over public transport, car or van or on foot and can be attributed in part to the Council’s provision of segregated cycle routes. Conwy County Borough Council is committed to encouraging sustainable forms of transport and initiatives such as Safe Routes to Schools.

The route would be accessible to all sectors of society, regardless of socio-economic status and will benefit both residents and visitors. The local economy, primarily dependent on tourism, will be boosted through increased visitor numbers to all the linked communities.

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