Labour’s local candidate for the Welsh Assembly Catherine Fookes has called on Monmouthshire County Council to fulfil its duties under the new Active Travel Act.

The call came during a meeting with members of Abergavenny Cycle Group, where chairman Jack Thurston told Catherine about the plan to build a new walking and cycling bridge downstream of the Llanfoist bridge.

The Welsh Government has already awarded a grant of £145,000 to cover the pre-construction phase of the project. Catherine welcomed this news, and pledged to campaign for the £800,000 needed to build the new bridge.

“Cycling round Abergavenny showed me just how desperate we are for safe routes in town – for cyclists and walkers, for people with disabilities and for families with buggies,” she said. “I’ll fight for the £800,000 needed for the new walking and cycling bridge, so people no longer have to use the old stone bridge which has busy traffic, a narrow footway and dangerous crossing points.

“MCC must implement the Active Travel (Wales) Act and support projects that help people walk or cycle for short journeys in town. This is a wonderful opportunity to reduce our carbon emissions, keep people healthy and combat obesity.”