Active Travel Fingerpost, Springvale Roundabout, Cwmbran 2 July 2016
An "Active Travel" fingerpost. The Town Centre "finger" is directing you due north up a steep slope covered with brambles and trees, on into the dense Church Wood. Were you to slavishly follow this sign like a trucker and his satnav, you would be heading in the direction of Pontypool. The town centre is actually straight on down Maendy Way, to the south east.
"Active Travel" finger posts are now sprouting up in Torfaen. The Welsh Government introduced the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 which makes it a legal requirement for local authorities in Wales to map and plan for suitable routes for active travel within certain settlements in the county borough as specified by the Welsh Government. This is Torfaen County Borough Council's compliance with the act. The routes are designed for walkers and cyclists to carry out everyday short-distance journeys, such as journeys to school, work, or for access to shops or services. Active travel does not include journeys purely made for recreation or social reasons.
The legislation is, in my opinion, fatally flawed. Since it is for "everyday short-distance journeys, such as journeys to school, work, or for access to shops or services" surely people using these routes already know how to get to work, school, shops etc.? Sounds like more Nanny State thinking to me.
Active Travel Fingerpost, Springvale Roundabout, Cwmbran 2 July 2016
An "Active Travel" fingerpost. The Town Centre "finger" is directing you due north up a steep slope covered with brambles and trees, on into the dense Church Wood. Were you to slavishly follow this sign like a trucker and his satnav, you would be heading in the direction of Pontypool. The town centre is actually straight on down Maendy Way, to the south east.
"Active Travel" finger posts are now sprouting up in Torfaen. The Welsh Government introduced the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 which makes it a legal requirement for local authorities in Wales to map and plan for suitable routes for active travel within certain settlements in the county borough as specified by the Welsh Government. This is Torfaen County Borough Council's compliance with the act. The routes are designed for walkers and cyclists to carry out everyday short-distance journeys, such as journeys to school, work, or for access to shops or services. Active travel does not include journeys purely made for recreation or social reasons.
The legislation is, in my opinion, fatally flawed. Since it is for "everyday short-distance journeys, such as journeys to school, work, or for access to shops or services" surely people using these routes already know how to get to work, school, shops etc.? Sounds like more Nanny State thinking to me.