City’s marathon route through Gwent Levels ‘would be destroyed’

THE current route of the Newport Marathon through the picturesque Gwent Levels will be devastated if the preferred route of the M4 relief road gets built, the head of a conservation body has warned.

Around 6,000 people are expected to take part in the marathon on Sunday, but if the road gets the go-ahead they may not be coming back next year.

Gwent Wildlife Trust chief executive Ian Rappel welcomed news that the Welsh Government and Newport City Council between them will invest £210,000 in the future of the Gwent Levels over the next three years, courtesy of the marathon.

But he said questions remain about the future of the event and the investment of taxpayers’ money, should the relief road go-ahead.

The current Newport marathon enjoys a scenic and flat route through the Gwent Levels.

Mr Rappel said: “Investment in the precious landscape that is the Gwent Levels via the Newport Marathon, is good news and we hope shows real recognition that this area is beneficially important to the future of the marathon, green leisure in Gwent and to local people and wildlife generally.

“However, the current marathon route would be destroyed by the proposed M4 route, so what does this mean for the investment and the future of such an event on the Gwent Levels?

“We know only too well that the Gwent Levels is a picturesque and priceless landscape. We hope Newport council can see this as well as the Welsh Government, which will ultimately make the decision about the M4 and seal the fate of the Gwent Levels.

“Newport council and Welsh Government need to consider the investment they are pledging to the marathon using taxpayers’ money and recognise the negative and destructive consequences that a new M4 motorway being built over the current marathon route will bring.”

Mr Rappel added: “It has been suggested that the Newport Marathon could generate £1.1m for the local economy. It has wider health benefits for people and we totally applaud this.

“The marathon will bring visitors and runners from all over the UK and many will return based on the experience they have had, seeing and running around the glorious Gwent Levels, enjoying its coastal wildlife and historic landscape.

“This area is like no other in the UK, and that’s why we should cherish and showcase it as a green leisure hub, instead of destroying it and concreting over it with a motorway.”

Triathlete and Gwent Wildlife Trust member Phil Tilley, who will be running the marathon, said: “There’s an irony in the fact that public money is being used to promote Newport and its surroundings and yet it’s the same area that is threatened and could be destroyed because of the proposed new motorway route.”