A BRAND-NEW path connecting two schools on the outskirts of Ruthin to the town centre will allow parents to make safer travel arrangements for their children.

Work to build a safe route for primary school pupils travelling to Ysgol Pen Barras and Rhos Street School has been opened to the public.

The path which leads from Denbigh Road to Ruthin Memorial Fields car park will give parents and their children an alternative route to walk and cycle to the schools without using the busy Ruthin Link Road.

A public meeting was held in September to discuss the traffic arrangements to the schools, where parents and county councillors, as well as Llyr Gruffydd AM, criticised Denbighshire County Council for not providing a safe route before the schools' opening in April.

The project began at the end of October and formed part of phase one of the council's Safe Routes in Communities project in the town, which also included the construction of a link from the new path to the Glasdir housing estate near the primary schools.

Further work will see the route extended across Park Road, through Park Road car park and on to Clwyd Street as part of phase two, to begin in the coming months.

Councillor Brian Jones, cabinet lead member for highways, planning and sustainable travel, said: “We’re delighted to have been in a position to clear this stretch of footpath to allow children and their parents and guardians a safe route linking the schools towards the town centre. We consulted and listened to views of the public and got the work underway as quickly as possible.

“Now that phase one is complete, our attention will be to extend the safe route to school closer to the town centre, providing added safety for those who will be using the route."