WORK began this week on the controversial cycle path upgrade along the disused railway line in Penarth.

Diggers have been clearing the sides of the path near to Plymouth Road so that a 2.5metre path upgrade can be laid. It will replace the existing stone dust path that the Save Penarth Green group had been campaigning to preserve.

Contractors began work at the start of this week, with diggers clearing the sides of the path of hedgerows near Plymouth Road. The Sully Terrace section will not be worked on for the time being, as the Save Penarth Green group continue their legal bid to have the area designated as a Village Green.

The whole project could take nearly three months to be completed, with parts of the path set to be closed when tarmacing begins. Dog walkers have been advised to keep their dogs on leads when walking past the works.

Save Penarth Green campaign leader Hazel Bransfield said that the matter of Sully Terrace being listed as a Village Green would be going before a Vale Council licensing committee next Tuesday, November 5, and it was then hoped to go to a public inquiry.

A Vale of Glamorgan spokesperson said that the licensing committee will consider consultation responses to the Village Green application at its meeting on Tuesday, November 5.

Mrs Bransfield added that the Save Penarth Green group still had concerns about whether the path could safely be shared between cyclists and walkers after a new tarmac surface is laid.

“I’m just hoping there will never be a serious accident,” she said.

She added that the existing path was still fit for purpose.

“If you walk up there now the stone dust is still perfectly functional and comfortable to walk on,” she said.

A Vale of Glamorgan council spokesperson said: “The first phase of the works have commenced along the section to the north of the bridge at Sully Terrace adjacent to Berkley Drive and comprise excavation to widen the existing path to 2.5 metres and construction of the new finished surface of the shared path.

“It is anticipated that this work will take some 10 days to complete, after which time the second phase will commence from the southern extent of the Railway Walk route where it meets Cosmeston Drive. From Cosmeston Drive, works will continue northwards in sections of approximately 250 metre lengths over the remainder of the construction period in order to achieve successful completion of the project.

“At Sully Terrace, the design includes for a set of five staggered bollards across the footpath / cycleway to control access and cycle speed with an adjacent field gate to facilitate access for future maintenance works.”