FAQs

Active Travel is the name given for everyday, short distance journeys that people make on foot or by cycle such as to work, school, college or to reach the shops and other facilities. This can also include users of wheelchairs or other mobility aids.

Active Travel does not refer to journeys that people may make for recreational reasons, such as walking or cycling in the countryside.

When the Welsh Government originally introduced the Active Travel (Wales) Act in 2013, this legislation made it a legal requirement for Councils in Wales to promote and develop a network of Active Travel routes within their area. Since then, the Council has built new infrastructure, improved existing Active Travel routes and provided new facilities to benefit pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists. The Welsh Government has asked all the local authorities in Wales to review and consult on their future plans for Active Travel.

Active Travel journeys can offer a number of benefits to both individuals and local communities such as improvements to their health and wellbeing and a reduction in local air pollution if fewer, short distance journeys are made by car.

 The Council would like to further expand and improve the quality and provision of Active Travel routes throughout Rhondda Cynon Taf and this consultation exercise will help us to do that.

The consultation period starts on 29^th May 2026 and will close on 20^th August 2026. You can take part online by visiting the Council's website and completing the questionnaire. Alternatively, we will also be visiting a number of public venues in Rhondda Cynon Taf if you would like to speak to us in person.

Alternative formats of the questionnaire are also available upon request by telephoning 01443 425001.

As part of the consultation exercise, the Council will also be contacting a number of local organisations and bodies in Rhondda Cynon Taf for their views and comments.

The Active Travel Network Map (ATNM) shows existing Active Travel routes that can be used to reach local facilities as well as proposed new routes, based on the feedback that we received several years ago following a previous consultation exercise. In most cases, these particular routes will require further studies to look at the possible alignment of these new routes as well as the engineering and environmental impact. The ATNM also shows additional information to assist pedestrians, wheelers and cyclists and only includes existing routes that meet the definition of an Active Travel route as set down in the guidance covering the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013.

All responses received by Rhondda Cynon Taf Council will be viewed in full by officers involved in this exercise. The information may also be viewed by other departments within the Council or by other parties to help improve the services provided.

The Council may also use the information obtained to publish subsequent documents both directly and indirectly linked to this consultation. However, the Council will never disclose any personal information such as names or addresses that could identify an individual.

If you do not wish for your comments to be published, please state so in your response. 

The Council will examine and consider all the responses that it receives before submitting the final version of the ATNM to the Welsh Government by 1 December 2026.