DWYFOR and Meirionnydd’s MP has expressed her fears that her constituency could lose millions of pounds as the future of Welsh rallying remains under threat.

Plaid Cymru MP Liz Saville Roberts has called on Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to reach an agreement with the Motor Sports Association (MSA) on the costs of repairing rallying routes in Wales amidst fears that doubling forestry charges could put at risk the long-term future of rallying in Welsh forests.

Mrs Saville Roberts has been contacted by a number of constituents, many local businesses as well as organisations directly involved in forest stage rallying who are concerned that Natural Resources Wales, the body responsible for maintaining forestry tracks in Wales, has failed to reach a cost agreement with the MSA for the 2016 rallying season.

The NRW has quoted in excess of £600,000 for repairing forest tracks for the 2016 Welsh rallying season – doubling what the MSA paid last year.

There are now fears that this surge in cost could put the future of forest rallying at risk, including routes throughout Meirionnydd and north Wales.

Liz Saville Roberts MP said: “Welsh forest rallying provides an important economic boost to many rural communities, such as the Dolgellau area in my constituency.

“When a rally takes place, businesses in the immediate area benefit from the influx of spectators, marshals and competitors who often spend a day or more in the area, spending their money locally.

“It’s estimated that Welsh forest rallying is worth around £15m to the Welsh economy."

See the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News