A meeting about the future use of the Monk’s Trod including local residents will hopefully take place in October

Town and county Councillor Angela Davies said some residents do not feel they have had the opportunity to give their views of what happens on the byway between Abby-Cwm-Hir near Llandrindod Wells and Strata Florida near Tregaron, Ceredigion.

The Monks Trod was developed originally by Cistercian monks. 

It runs for more than five miles (8.0 km) in Powys as a byway across the Cambrian mountains, and then crosses into Ceredigion, becoming a one mile (1.6 km) stretch of unclassified road. 

The 6 miles (9.7 km) section between Pont ar Elan beside the Craig Goch Dam reservoir, and Strata Florida passes over a natural peat moorland, designated as a National Nature Reserve Claerwen (NNR), Site of Special Scientific Interest (Elenydd SSSI), Special Protection Area (Elenydd – Mallaen), and a Special Area of Conservation.

In 1990, as a result of widespread damage to the SSSI section, a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) was placed on the Monks' Trod, banning four-wheeled vehicles only. In 2002 a temporary TRO was imposed, banning all motor traffic, including motorcycles^.

The TRO banning motorcycles came to an end on 20 October 2021, and it is currently, once again, legally open to vehicles with two wheels

The status of the byway is under constant review, and user groups are encouraged to be ever-mindful that if the route is not respected, then it is likely to be permanently closed.

Councillor Davies said it is hoped that residents and Rhayader Town Council will be invited to the meeting as well as a representative from each interest group and Powys County Council.

Meanwhile, she said Powys Teaching Health Board will be attending at the Smithfield Market in Rhayader in August and October to carry out basic health tests such as blood pressure checks on farmers.

It is an attempt to reach groups who are traditionally reluctant to attend doctor’s surgeries.

Councillor Davies also reported on Rhayader Church in Wales Primary School which had received a very positive Estyn report and an excellent church inspection report. She said the school had also received its platinum Peace Mala accreditation for its work focuses on all religions and cultures.. But she said it was disappointing that they received a zero for their breakfast club.

She said they only do toast and fruit and they did not put all the details into the report and so they received a poor grading.