Q&A Active Travel Designated Localities

An Active Travel Designated Locality (ATDL) is an area selected using the criteria listed below, providing a focus for the prioritisation of routes with potential to support active travel for the greatest number of people, and convert car trips to walking and cycling.

You can see a map of the ATDLs in Wales by going to Active Travel Designated Localities (Wales) | DataMapWales or Ardaloedd Dynodedig Teithio Llesol (Cymru) | MapDataCymru

Direction designating localities in relation to Active Travel routes.

The Welsh Ministers, in exercise of the powers conferred on them by section 2(4) and (5) of the Active Travel (Wales) Act 2013 (“the Act”), make the following Direction:

Section 2(1) of the Act provides that for the purposes of the Act a route in a local authority’s area is an active travel route if: a) the route is situated in a designated locality in the area; Section 2(4) of the Act provides that, in the Act, “designated”, in relation to a locality, means specified, or of a description specified, in a direction given by the Welsh Ministers. Section 2(5) provides that the Welsh Ministers may, in particular, specify a locality, or description of a locality, by reference to:
a) density of the population,
b) size,
c) proximity to densely-populated localities above a particular size,
d) position between such localities,
e) proximity to community services and facilities,
 f) potential for other reasons to be a locality, or a description of locality, in which more travel is undertaken by walkers and cyclists by active travel journeys.*

*The definition of an active travel journey includes travel to work, school, shops, and services, leisure facilities, public transport interchanges and health services.

The Designated Active Travel Localities in Monmouthshire are:

1. Abergavenny with Llanfoist
2. Caldicot
3. Chepstow
4. Gilwern
5. Magor with Undy
6. Monmouth with Wyesham
7. Usk

Connecting outlying communities to a nearby designated locality, and linking populations to key destinations, such as workplaces and transport stops and hubs, is a core element of network planning. Routes serving these purposes may therefore be included on the ATNM, even though they sit outside a Designated Locality.

Monmouthshire County Council’s Active Travel Strategic Focus, which is on journeys of 3 miles or less, recognises that more people want to use active travel for short, local trips, using other modes to travel longer distances because of ability, journey time and destination. Routes on the ATNM, reflecting MCC's Strategic Focus and the focus of funding, will largely focus within the designated localities which are likely to have a higher impact