I WOULD like to thank all of those people who attended our recent public meeting at the Cwmcarn Working Mens Club with Natural Resources Wales on the subject of the future of the Cwmcarn Forest Drive.

Particular thanks go to John Hogg and Sally Tansey of NRW, Cllr Colin Mann who represented Caerphilly County Borough Council, David Rowlands AM who represented the National Assembly (and passed on the apologies of several other AMs who were unable to attend) and those individuals who voiced their hopes and concerns on behalf of The Open Spaces Society and Islwyn Ramblers. 

One local resident who attended also stressed the importance of the drive to the financial success of her small business and more widely to the economy of south-east Wales. Our campaign to re-open the scenic drive continues and on the night we launched our new petition entitled Re-open the Cwmcarn Forest Drive at Easter 2018 which can be found on the National Assembly website at: assembly.wales/en/gethome/e-petitions/Pages/petitiondetail.aspx?PetitionID=1163.

I would like to reiterate that unless there is a big show of support for this petition the Cwmcarn Scenic Drive will remain closed to cars for good.

Our first petition was successful in turning an indefinite closure to a 2-3 year one and if this new one gains enough signatures we have a definite chance of getting the drive re-opened at Easter next year.

Rob Southall
Chair
Friends of Cwmcarn Forest Drive