Monmouthshire County Council is developing Active Travel routes across Abergavenny and Llanfoist to better connect residents with local destinations and public transport services. Our aim is to improve access to education, employment, shops, services and community facilities, helping to create sustainable, resilient and well-connected communities.
By making it easier and safer to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys, we can support healthier lifestyles, reduce reliance on car travel and improve connections between neighbourhoods and key destinations.
Abergavenny Active Travel Bridge scheme including Llanfoist Links & Castle Meadows
We are focusing on active travel links between Llanfoist and Abergavenny, with our route designed around a new active travel bridge crossing the River Usk between Merthyr Road and Castle Meadows, and associated links for safer, more attractive and direct sustainable routes into Llanfoist and Abergavenny.
Monmouthshire County Council has secured £10.4m from Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund, and a further £3.6m from Cardiff Capital Region’s Regional Transport Fund to develop the Abergavenny to Llanfoist Active Travel Scheme.
This scheme is a central priority for the development of Monmouthshire County Council’s Active Travel network, addressing the active travel severance point of the vehicular Usk Bridge.
What is the change we expect to see?
- Increase in active travel journeys in Abergavenny
- Improved connectivity and accessibility for active travel trips in and between Llanfoist and Abergavenny
- Improve actual and perceived levels of personal safety and security when walking and cycling
- Promotion of sustainable travel as attractive and safe in Abergavenny and Llanfoist.
We are focusing on active travel links between Llanfoist and Abergavenny, with our route designed around a new active travel bridge crossing the River Usk between Merthyr Road and Castle Meadows, and associated links for more attractive and direct sustainable travel routes between Llanfoist and Abergavenny.
Monmouthshire County Council has secured £10.4m from Welsh Government’s Active Travel Fund for construction of the bridge and connecting routes, for safer, more attractive and direct sustainable travel routes into Llanfoist and Abergavenny. Construction will include connecting route improvement works on Castle Meadows and Llanfoist links (see below). This work is planned to start in early 2026, with phased work continuing into 2027. The timings of works are affected by river levels and ecological restrictions. This phase of work will include:
- A steel framed, 3-metre wide pedestrian and cycling bridge across the River Usk
- Bi-Lingual signage
- Connections to Merthyr Road and Castle Meadows paths
Balfour Beatty, MCC’s bridge construction partner, have provided the bridge project website. Follow the link below for more details of the scheme, technical drawings, construction photos and videos, and to subscribe to the newsletter for project updates.
The focus in Castle Meadows is to provide new paths and improve existing routes that connect the Active Travel bridge with Abergavenny, while also creating a link to Merthyr Road.
As the scheme develops, further work will explore opportunities to improve additional paths within the meadows, subject to available funding. Castle Meadows is a Special Area of Conservation with sensitive habitats and wildlife, and these environmental considerations will play an important role in shaping the plans.
A connecting route through Ysbyty Fields remains a long-term aspiration. However, this will depend on resolving land ownership issues and securing future funding.
Some of the proposed paths form part of the Llanfoist to Abergavenny Active Travel scheme, with construction due to begin in 2026 (see above).
This phase of work will include:
- Links into existing paths on Castle Meadows
- Path upgrades to some paths on Castle Meadows, to accommodate shared use
- Ramps to the active travel bridge (see above)
- Bi-Lingual signage
- Gates and fencing where necessary
This phase looks at route improvements focused on the Llanfoist side of the River Usk and connections to the active travel bridge and Castle Meadows. Elements of this broad scheme will be included in the construction works, with other sections being brought forward as and when funding allows.
Objectives of the Llanfoist Links scheme
- Improve access to local services, employment, and cultural facilities by Active Travel modes by improving connectivity between Abergavenny and Llanfoist.
- Promote and facilitate healthier lifestyles by increasing the number of pedestrians and cyclists using Merthyr Road and The Cutting for commuting purposes.
- Make a positive contribution to air quality by promoting active travel in MCC and supporting the reduction of Carbon Dioxide around the Abergavenny / Llanfoist area.
- Introduce safe and accessible active travel links and remove conflicts between users around the ‘Waitrose’ Roundabout.
- Provide a coherent, direct, and future-proof cycle route which connects with the existing and planned active travel infrastructure.
Identified issues in active travel between Llanfoist and Merthyr Road Abergavenny
- The existing road network in the area is extremely busy, making the environment unappealing for pedestrians, cyclists, and those with mobility impairments. Analysis of 2011 Census data identified that 15% of drivers in the area travel less than 2km and 8% between 2km and 5km. Some of these trips could be accommodated by Active Travel modes if adequate Non Motorised User infrastructure would be provided.
- There are currently no off-road cycle facilities: as such cyclists have to use the existing carriageway/s to travel.
- A lack of adequate crossing facilities at the ‘Waitrose’ roundabout.
- At sections of the scheme, footways are narrow and sub-standard, forcing pedestrians into close proximity to the carriageway and traffic.
- There are significant perceived road safety issues, particularly along Merthyr Road between the Bridge Inn pub and ‘Waitrose’ roundabout.
- The Cutting is recognised as low traffic and, as such, has the potential to serve as a link from Merthyr Road to Llanfoist, but the current link route behind Waitrose Petrol Station is narrow and overgrown at points.
Llanfoist Links – Construction works 26/27
The Wales Transport Appraisal Guidance (WelTAG) study of this area looked at ways to improve the provision for active travel links between Llanfoist and Abergavenny. Funding awarded from Cardiff Capital Region’s Regional Transport Fund will allow us to update the road layout to provide improved active travel links from the Cutting and Waitrose roundabout, along Merthyr Road leading up to the existing bridge and the future active travel bridge. The plans for this construction scheme have been developed through public and stakeholder consultation, and will include:
- Zebra crossing near Usk Bridge (just south of cemetery access)
- Accessible dropped kerb at underbridge/Church Lane
- Widening of footway where it joins the bridge on the south-east side
- Shared use path along Merthyr Road east side
- Parallel crossing on south end of Merthyr Rd (north of Waitrose roundabout, replacing the existing uncontrolled crossing at the splitter island)
- Continuous footway between KwikFit and Wharf House – Currently a gap in the footway restricts access (where driveway was removed).
- Parallel crossing on Heads of the Valleys slip road to replace current, uncontrolled crossing
- Additional highway resurfacing in the Llanfoist area is also planned.
*A parallel crossing is a zebra crossing for both pedestrians and cyclists.
Design consultants WSP are currently finalising the details design for these works, aiming for construction in winter 2026-spring 2027.
Click here to view the construction plan
Further interventions from the Llanfoist Links WelTAG study will be re-investigated once the bridge is constructed. The WelTAG study drawings available below show the overall extent of the original proposals.
Active Travel routes across Abergavenny are regularly assessed for inclusion in the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Network Map (ATNM). These assessments identify opportunities for small-scale improvements that can make walking, wheeling and cycling safer, easier and more accessible.
Examples of these improvements include installing dropped kerbs, tactile paving, cycle parking and other measures that help remove barriers and improve connections across the network.
Click on image to enlarge
