IN these times of uncertainty, cutbacks and threats to public services, one could be forgiven for feeling there is little cause to celebrate. However, an opportunity currently lies in the hands of Chepstow and Wye Valley residents, one which could provide our community and our children with a unique facility to cherish for years to come.

The sustainable transport charity Sustrans recently submitted planning applications to the Forest of Dean and Monmouthshire councils for the creation of a shared-use traffic-free community path from Sedbury's Wyedean School to Tintern and Brockweir, along the disused Wye Valley railway, supported by a share of £50m Big lottery funding and with backing of the Wye Valley AONB.

It doesn't take much imagination to see the enormous possibilities such a path would offer to all. Chepstow townsfolk would have a safe, healthy and awe-inspiring journey into the valley, whilst those living there would finally have a realistic chance of reaching wider amenities of shops, schools and transport links, all without the ever-increasing, yet unsustainable, need to get into the car. Local business opportunities would abound at either end of the path and all would benefit from the reconnection of people, nature and our stunning local landscape.

These plans have enormous local support, demonstrated by the letters currently flooding the council planning offices. So, who could possibly object to such a proposal?

Sadly, a small minority exist who are determined to ensure that you and your children will never benefit from such a path. Their drip-feed of deliberately misleading and speculative misinformation relating to an 'invasion' of cyclists, inconvenience to drivers, carnage on our roads, vicious muggings and an explosion in drug related crime(!), coupled with intimidatory threats of legal action is illustrative of their desperation to keep you out of their Wye Valley, and pays no regard to the precedent set by other comparable paths, such as the delightful Peregrine Path from Monmouth to Symonds Yat where, strangely, none of these issues arise!

Furthermore, letters currently arriving at the planning offices from countless neighbours and residents in Tutshill and beyond clearly illustrate the strength of local support in the parish of Tidenham, home of Wyedean School who are fully behind the plans.

Therefore, it was with disbelief that I discovered a Tidenham Parish Council representative had recently sought to discourage supportive parishioners from either contacting the parish council to express their support, or attending the relevant parish council planning committee meeting to do so, proclaiming it would not help their cause. Just what form of democracy is this?

The committee dismissed local support and voted on behalf of parishioners to object to the plans, having made no attempt to properly gauge the balance of opinion on such a significant local issue. Thankfully, their arguments are weak, ill-informed and fail to consider the raft of national and local planning policy imperatives which provide a clear mandate for the provision of improved community walking and cycling links, especially on former railway routes.

So, amidst the gathering wave of support for the Sustrans path, lurks a threat to its creation – a threat which jeopardises the realism of a wonderful facility and legacy for our valley, families and future generations. For this reason, I encourage readers to ensure this threat is quashed by celebrating your support for the plans and contacting the Forest of Dean and Monmouthshire councils today, as you may never have this opportunity again.

To express your support for the Sustrans path, visit http://www.wyevalleycycling.org.uk or">www.wyevalleycycling.org.uk or email [email protected]">[email protected] (reference P1626/10/

FUL) and planning@

monmouthshire.gov.uk (reference DC/2010/

00783). – Jeremy Cowen, Tutshill.