A long-awaited scheme to provide a footpath at Rhiwgoch for youngsters walking to school in Aberaeron will be “disjointed” and not provide a pavement for the whole area, it has been warned.

The second phase of work for the Rhiwgoch footway has been awarded grant funding of almost £220,000 from the Welsh Government’s Safe Routes in Communities scheme as one of a number of transport grants for Ceredigion projects.

But Aberaeron councillor Elizabeth Evans said that, while she supports the scheme, which will also see funding from Ceredigion Council, Henfynyw Community Council and Aberaeron Town Council, she was disappointed that issues with landowners meant that it would not be possible to provide a footpath for the entire length of the road.

Cllr Evans said: “The Rhiwgoch scheme is very welcome.

“The problem with this is it’s going to be disjointed.

“The great disappointment is that landowners couldn’t put issues aside, as it’s only going to go halfway down the hill.”

Other schemes which have won Welsh Government funding include the second phase of a shared path between IBERS and Penrhyncoch, improvements at junction overshoots at Hafodwen crossroads at the B4342 at Llanarth, improvements for the TrawsCymru T2 and T5 corridors and active travel funding.

While the funding announcements were welcomed, councillors questioned whether Ceredigion and mid Wales in general were getting a fair share of funding compared to north and south Wales.

Cllr Ceredig Davies accused the Welsh Government of spending “wasted” millions of pounds on a possible M4 diversionary route.

He said: “That money could have been spent on improvements in mid Wales.”

See this week’s south papers for the full story, available in shops and as a digital edition on Wednesday