A PATH is to be built connecting Dole with Bow Street following a decade-long campaign.

Ceredigion MS Elin Jones has confirmed that the Welsh Government has agreed to create a shared-use path for walkers and cyclists along the A487 between Rhydypennau and Dole, as well as creating a permanent bus stop on the side of the road for Dole residents.

Welsh Government Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters MS, has written to Ms Jones detailing how a scheme has been developed and designs for the new path have been made. Discussions are now underway with local landowners, and following successful completion of these talks, it is hoped that work could possibly begin early in the next financial year, subject to budget availability.

Elin Jones MS said: “This is a very positive confirmation by the Minister that plans are now well advanced to create a footpath from Dole to the larger village of Bow Street.

“Residents have long been campaigning for such a safe route so that they can walk and cycle safely to school and to the services at Bow Street.

“The A487 is a very busy road and it is impossible to walk or cycle safely on such a road.

“I’m also pleased that the plans include a formal bus stop at the junction with Dole for the use of school buses, as well as public service buses.

“It has been a dangerous crossing point for both school children and others using the Aberystwyth buses at Dole.”

Bow Street county councillor, Paul Hinge, also welcomed the news, saying: “The ‘shared pathway’ scheme between Rhydypennau (Bow Street) and Dole has been a long-standing campaign which myself as the local county councillor and others have been battling with for 10 years or more and have been promised action by successive ministers on numerous occasions but to no avail.

“The shared routes that have been created through the village of Bow Street and on from the new rail/bus stop at the bottom of the village to IBERS and Penrhyncoch have proven to be very popular especially during the lockdown with walkers and cyclist alike.

“The A487 between Rhydypennau and Dole is a very busy Trunk Road and does not lend itself to safe travel on foot or by cycle so we need to have the ‘shared route’ schemes that exist in the area to be joined up and this shared path scheme will provide that ‘joined-up’ pathway network.

“As local county councillor I call on Welsh Government to ensure that this scheme comes forward at the earliest opportunity or at the very latest within the next 12 months.”