Clydach

Historic Clydach canal towpath given new lease of life as cycle and walking route

Published

4 months ago

27th January 2022

Editor

Nearly one and half kilometres of historic canal tow path in Swansea has been given a new lease of life as a new walking and cycling route.

The route in the Swansea community of Clydach, has been topped with a new accessible two metre wide tarmac surface to create a new shared use path for walkers and cyclists. The path forms part of the national cycle network, known as NCN43.

Swansea Council has completed the upgrade to the path following discussions with the Rivers and Canal Trust and after receiving funding through the Welsh Government’s sustainable transport scheme – Active Travel.

Mark Thomas, Cabinet Member for Environment Enhancement and Infrastructure Management, said: “Our aim to widen the existing path along the canal and provide an improved surface for walkers and cyclists is now complete and is a vast improvement for the many residents and visitors that use the route.

“We worked with the Canal and River Trust to make this route a safer and an even more popular walking and cycling route. The completed improvements now link up with the similar works completed by the neighbouring local authority along their section, boosting regional benefits between Swansea and Neath & Port Talbot.”

The quarter of a million pound investment in Clydach was included in a wider list of schemes after Swansea received more than £4million of funding to create new walking and cycling routes in the city during 2021/22.

Further funding (£245,000) will also help create a new 1.4 km link between the communities of Clydach and Craig Cefn Parc.

Other routes currently under construction include a 900metre shared use path along Clasemont Road in Morriston. A new route in Townhill – known as the Ravine, is also nearing completion and zig zags along the mountainside for 1.4km.

Work has also started on further routes in Morriston and along Jersey Road in Bonymaen – all providing vital links to existing walking and cycling networks.

Cllr Thomas added: “We’re getting on with creating more accessible walking and cycling routes all across the city, ensuring these routes can provide a welcome alternative to using a car to get around, particularly on short journeys where walking and cycling can be beneficial.

“Expanding our network of walking and cycling routes so more communities are linked up is a key aim to encourage more residents to travel in a more sustainable way.”

(Lead image: Swansea Council)

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Local Amazon distribution centre gives a grand donation to a Swansea school

Published

2 months ago

4th April 2022

Editor

A Swansea primary school has received a £1,000 donation from the Amazon fulfilment centre in Swansea Bay.

Craigfelen Primary School in Clydach plans to use the donation to enhance their outdoor area for learners.

Omer Kartal, Site Leader at Amazon in Swansea, said: “At Amazon, we are passionate supporters of schools and pupils in our community. We’re pleased to support Craigfelen Primary School with this donation.”

***Craigfelen Primary School will use the donation to improve their outdoor area***

Craigfelen Primary School was nominated for support by Ryan Arnold, who works as an engineer at the Swansea fulfilment centre. Ryan’s wife is a teacher at the school.

He added: “Craigfelen Primary is a fantastic school, deserving of endless thanks for the support and guidance it provides to pupils. It’s great that Amazon has been able to make this donation and I know it will be warmly welcomed by everyone at Craigfelen Primary School.”

Mrs Alison Williams MBE, Headteacher at Craigfelen Primary School, added: “We want to thank Omer and the Amazon team in Swansea for this donation. As a school community, we are dedicated to supporting our pupils to succeed through education whilst ensuring they are proud of their community. This donation will be a great support to us.”

The donation to Craigfelen Primary School was made as part of Amazon’s programme to support the communities in and around its operating locations across the UK.

Clydach

Man charged with attempted murder after Clydach assault

Published

2 months ago

17th March 2022

Editor

Detectives investigating the serious assault of a man in Clydach on Saturday 12 March have charged 37 year-old Daniel Harrison with attempted murder.

He has been remanded into police custody and will appear at Swansea Magistrates Court later today (17 March).

Temporary Detective Chief Inspector Gareth Jones from South Wales Police said: “We know this incident caused some concern within the local and wider community. I would like to reassure people that we have the suspect in custody and we are not looking for anybody else.”

The victim of the assault remains in a stable but critical condition in hospital.

(Lead image: South Wales Police)

Clydach

Funding secures additional 49 life-saving defibrillators for Swansea communities

Published

2 months ago

15th March 2022

Editor

An additional 49 easily accessible life-saving defibrillators are being installed at retail locations in communities right across Swansea in the coming months.

Swansea Council is working with the charity Heartbeat Trust UK to increase public access to this vital equipment and to become the UK’s first ‘defib-friendly’ city.

The Council has agreed more than £60,000 in grant funding that will enable the Charity to place and insure defibrillators in locations that have 24-hour access in all 36 council wards.

These will include additional machines in retail locations in the city centre, high streets in communities including Morriston, Clydach, Gorseinon, Pontarddulais and Sketty and outside community shops or pubs in more rural locations such as Gower.

Swansea Council Leader Rob Stewart said: “This equipment can easily mean the difference between life and death when someone suffers from a medical emergency such as a heart attack and we want to ensure all our residents have as much support as possible.

“There has been an increase in number of accessible defibrillators in Swansea in recent years and the Council will continue to play it’s part in growing the coverage”

Deputy Leader Andrea Lewis, who has driven the initiative, added: “Heartbeat Trust UK is already doing a fantastic job working with our communities in Swansea.

“This grant will ensure we can get these machines installed all across the city and help save lives. Our ambition is to be Britain’s first defib-friendly city where no-one is far from a defibrillator.

“I’m confident residents in all our communities will welcome this additional support as part of our partnership with Heartbeat Trust UK.”

It is anticipated that all 49 additional machines will be in place within the next few months.

Henry Gilbert, Chair of Heartbeat Trust UK, said: “We are proud to be partnering with Swansea Council to make this city ‘defib-friendly’ in terms of the strategic placement of defibrillators in all communities, generating greater awareness of their locations and providing CPR / Defibrillator training.

“Out of hospital cardiac arrests is one the top causes of death in the UK. The timely intervention of CPR and defibrillation can improve the survival rate from less than 3% to as much as 75%. This initiative will definitely save lives in Swansea.”

(Lead image: Wikimedia / Tanja-Denise Schantz)