Adjustments to a new Active Travel Scheme for Saundersfoot could be made following feedback from residents on social media.

Pembrokeshire County Council are seeking input into the proposed ‘Active Travel Shared Use Paths’ at Saundersfoot, but members of the public already having their say seem less than impressed with aspects of the project so far, in particular work that is ongoing to form a new walking and cycle route to the railway station, with some stating changes had seemingly made the route more dangerous for motorists.

Supported by Welsh Government Funding, the route forms part of a wider scheme which will eventually link Saundersfoot Station to Tenby.

The Scheme is progressing in two phases - Saundersfoot Marina to Stammers Road (Phase 1) and Stammers Road to Sandy Hill (Phase 2).

County councillors for the seaside village Chris Williams and Alec Cormack have been in discussions with the Local Authority over the scheme, which is among £1.6 million worth of new active travel schemes announced for Pembrokeshire.

“The new schemes will make it easier for people to use active travel in their day to day lives, such as walking and cycling, and including the use of mobility scooters and electric wheelchairs, for everyday journeys, such as going to work or the shops or to access services,” said Cllr Williams.

“The bulk of the money will be spent in Saundersfoot on schemes to all areas, and a key project is the development of a new shared used path to Saundersfoot Railway Station.

“This is fantastic news for the local community. The active travel link is so important for the community to have safe access to all areas of the village, it supports individuals who may want to visit friends and families and is really positive for people’s wellbeing and ensuring all the parts of the village are accessible.

“This development is long overdue but I certainly welcome the investment which will make a considerable difference when visiting the area. I hope there will be continued investment to address other areas of the village to form the active travel link.”

Cllr Williams said that the link up to the Railway station will be a major improvement, as for too long this has been a difficult route for visitors and residents navigating narrow windy roads which have a speed of 60mph in places.

“As part of the active travel works, Alec and I are speaking with representatives of PCC along with highway engineers to get the speed reduced to 40mph rather than the current speed of 60mph on Fan Road,” he continued.

“We have been told that once the detailed design is finalised, they can look to potentially reduce the speed along this section. We will discuss this further with the team as we feel we have total support from our community on this.

“During our period as County Councillors, Alec and I have met numerous constituents who have requested traffic measures due to the speed. Safety will always be the priority, and we have to take into consideration the opinions of vehicle users, cyclists and pedestrians.

“Any changes will be made on the basis of all the information available and safety being paramount. I am confident that with time the benefits of road safety will become apparent. If anyone has concerns, then you can email email Alec or myself with your issues. Alec and I will endeavour to keep you updated.”

Cllr Williams said that he had seen numerous posts on social media regarding Fan Road, and with this in mind, he has asked for an immediate update from highways engineers so that he can share information with residents.

“The width of the new Shared Use Path complies with latest legislation laid out in the Welsh Government’s design guides,” he explained.

“It has to be sufficiently wide to cater for both cyclists and pedestrians safely using the facility at the same time. The first phase of enabling works has finished for the summer embargo, and temporary signs have been established to warn road users of the works and also the narrow carriageway. Permanent signs will be erected under the phases, which will commence after the summer school holiday embargo.

“This current section of road narrowing is for two lanes – we will introduce the priority section after the summer embargo under the next phase of works.

“There has been requests from local residents to put the give way heading into the village, with priority for out bound vehicles. This is being investigated with the designers at present. The two lane section has been reduced to 5m width, with previous centre line removed. The priority section will be 3 metres wide when work commences,” he added.

The detailed design of Phase 1 is currently underway and the Active Travel team are collecting valuable feedback on scheme design, proposals and any key points that need addressing from those using the area most.

More details of the scheme and a survey for school children and one for residents or visitors are available via DataMap Wales (https://datamap.gov.wales/survey/sandy-hill-road-to-saundersfoot-harbour-residents/)

The deadline for responses is September 22.