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Celtic Trail Project

Project Overview

Sustrans Cymru has co-ordinated a successful bid to the ERDF Objective 1 Programme and the Welsh Assembly Government that has secured over £4 million towards a £9 million project to complete the Celtic Trail National Routes 4 & 47 between Chepstow and Fishguard. The project will bring up to 29 miles of the National Cycle Network towards full standard, by replacing a number of interim sections through areas of Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire, Swansea, Neath Port Talbot, Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taff, Merthyr and Caerphilly. The project provides funding for the restoration of the Hengoed Viaduct on National Route 47. It will also see the re-establishment of a marketing team to promote the routes to local users and tourists.

Major schemes in the project include:

• Hengoed Viaduct Restoration (NCR 47).
• Neyland to Milford Haven Link (Pembrokeshire).
• Twyi Bridge (Carmarthen).
• Improvements to NCR 4 through Caerphilly town centre.
• Improvements to the NCN through Pontypridd town centre.
• Improvements to the NCN through Pembroke and Pembroke Dock.
• Replacement of a number of key sections of NCR 4 and NCR 47 where they are currently signed along busy roads.

Funding Bodies and Partners Involved in the Project

• Welsh Assembly Government
• Welsh European Funding Office (EU Objective 1 Funding and LRF)
• Pembrokeshire County Council
• Carmarthenshire County Council
• City and County of Swansea
• Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council
• Bridgend County Borough Council
• Rhonnda Cynon Taff County Borough Council
• Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council
• Caerphilly County Borough Council
• Heritage Lottery Fund
• Railway Heritage Trust
• Railway Paths Ltd
• Sustrans

Celtic Trail - Phase 2

In 2008 we completed Phase 2 of the Celtic Trail, using EU Objective One funding to upgrade 29 miles of the NCN between Fishguard and Chepstow and replace a number of interim sections to provide a continuous route across south Wales.  Last year the Celtic Trail carried 1.5 million trips and generated £75 million for the south Wales economy.  A report by the highly regarded Institute of Transport and Tourism at the University of Central Lancashire calculated that taken together the Celtic and Taff Trails generated economic activity in the south Wales economy which led to the creation or safeguarding of 1,399 jobs. The report is available to download, Celtic Trail Report.

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