Fears have been raised by councillors that small, rural villages and surrounding areas are being overlooked during discussions over a plan to boost cycle and walking routes in Ceredigion as a public consultation comes to an end.

Public views are currently being sought on what ‘active travel’ will look like in Ceredigion in the future as work on proposals for routes and infrastructure in the county is finalised ahead of being submitted to the Welsh Government.

Ceredigion County Council’s thriving communities overview and scrutiny discussed the latest route plans and “aspirational” proposals for the county over the next three years, as well as the need for revenue funding to support any approved schemes, at its meeting on Monday, 1 November.

Members heard that this was the “third and final phase” of the process and a further opportunity for councillors and residents to suggest where future routes for walkers and cyclists could be included to reduce reliance on vehicles.

The Welsh Government Act covering the work has a focus on Aberystwyth, Cardigan and Lampeter as “designated localities for active travel” but there was an aim to link more settlements within the new route provision.

Some members, including Cllrs Euros Davies and Dai Mason, raised concerns about “small, rural villages and surrounding areas being overlooked.”

Others raised issues with existing paths with discussions with land owners delaying completion in some cases, such as Aberaeron to Ffos-y-ffin highlighted by committee chairman Cllr Marc Davies and between Penparc and Cardigan raised by Cllr John Adams-Lewis, with assurance given that discussion continued.

Grant capital funding was available for travel routes and local authorities were lobbying for revenue funding to continue maintenance of them, the committee was told.

The plans for Ceredigion would see an additional 49 kilometres of walking and cycling future routes compared to the map that was approved in 2017.

It would link up with separate plans from Powys County Council that will see a route linking Aberystwyth and Machynlleth.

The consultation on Ceredigion routes was launched in August and followed walking and cycling consultations which took place earlier this year with a total of 1,003 active participants and 778 comments received. The council said that the public engagement was “very successful” with comments “carefully considered” before draft proposals were decided upon.

A county council spokesperson said the plans “will help to make journeys on foot or by bike more accessible and safer for everyone, particularly those who don’t currently walk or cycle often and people who may use mobility aids.”

The public consultation for the Ceredigion Active Travel Network Maps continues until 19 November with a submission deadline for the plan at the end of December.