Transport for Wales has launched a partnership project with Ramblers Cymru to encourage more people to use public transport when they are accessing local walking routes and to help them improve their health and well-being.
The project, titled ‘Train, talk, walk', is designed to encourage people to use their local train services to access new family-friendly walking routes that Ramblers Cymru is creating and start and finish from local stations. So far, they have created 20 walking routes for five stations in South Wales and 15 in North Wales.
In South Wales, the proposed locations include Merthyr to Pentrebach, Cardiff Bay, Aberdare, Heath Low Level (Cardiff), and Barry Island. There are also other linear walks in South Wales, including Llandeilo to Dinefwr Park, Trehafod to Pontypridd, or Cardiff to Penarth.
Proposed routes in North Wales include Gwersyllt (Wrexham), Flint, Barmouth, Caergwrle, Prestatyn, Rhosneigr, Penrhyndeudraeth, Newtown, Aberystwyth, Hawarden, Llanrwst, Blaenau Ffestiniog, Pwllheli, Porthmadog, and Criccieth, whilst additional linear walks could include Colwyn Bay, Bangor, and Rhosneigr.
Starting in April, the project will also deliver a series of introductory guided walks throughout Wales to coincide with the walks and with Visit Wales's Year of the Trails, where visitors can find forgotten treasures and walk along pathways, landscapes, and the coast.
Ramblers Cymru will also be delivering team-building events and activities for Transport for Wales staff. Those will include training in paths and using maps and hands-on activity days to improve their access to the outdoors in their local communities.
Hugh Evans, Head of Community Rail at Transport for Wales said: “We're really excited to launch this partnership project with Ramblers Cymru and it's simply about encouraging more people to become more active and use their public transport network to gain access to local walking routes.
“It's important that people are aware that there are many relatively easy walks that can be reached by a simple train journey and chance to get some exercise, visit a new area, and improve their wellbeing.”
Angela Charlton, director at Ramblers Cymru said: “We are delighted to be working in partnership with Transport for Wales on this project to develop walks. Ramblers Cymru want to see walking at the heart of communities and an outdoors that is more accessible to more people.
“We hope that by using our expertise to create these walks from train stations we can encourage communities to explore their local area and visitors to come and enjoy a positive outdoor experience in a more sustainable way.
“The family-friendly routes will showcase hidden gems across the train network to encourage people to explore more of Wales spending money and bringing economic benefits with them as they discover the people and communities along the way.”
Don’t you mean a Talk, talk, walk project because the trains simply aren’t there! Since the beginning of 2023 Llandeilo has only seen trains on 8 days with many of them being late as the new December 2022 timetable simply doesn’t work. Buses have replaced trains yet again across south west Wales between Swansea and Carmarthen/Llanwrtyd all this week. Locals no longer use the train because it is so unreliable and after you’ve walked do you want to get to a station and find the train isn’t running?