P-04-605 Save the Cwmcarn Forest Drive from Indefinite or Permanent Closure

P-04-605 Save the Cwmcarn Forest Drive from Indefinite or Permanent Closure

We call upon the National Assembly for Wales to urge the Welsh Government to reverse the decision of Natural Resources Wales to close the Cwmcarn Forest Drive indefinitely on 2nd November 2014.

Addiional Information

NRW have stated that the Cwmcarn Forest Drive will be closed indefinitely in November and that this is necessary because of the infection of the Japanese larches in the forest. I am not convinced as there are inconsistencies with NRW approach. There are ample harvest roads which can be used to facilitate removal of the trees. What needs to be removed via the drive could done during its annual winter closure; however NRW say that removing the trees will not be completed until 2018 and after this the drive may not reopen due to funding issues. Other forest parks are only facing minimal disruption to their facilities as a result of tree removal. To single out users of the drive is unfair and unnecessary when other users will face only temporary disruption. We should save the drive for its users, many of whom are elderly, disabled and from our ethnic minority and immigrant communities. This deprives those people who are our most deprived of their main facility for health and well being.

Petitioner :  Robert Jeffrey Southall

First considered by the Committee:

Number of Signatures:   2,392  electronic signatures and 602 paper signatures. Total 2,994

 

Business type: Petition

Reason considered: Senedd Business;

Status: For consideration

First published: 22/10/2014