Is the future bright or is this a risk for Cwmwarn and Risca?

Just as Cwmcarn Trails and Risca Bike Park head to second place in the Trail of the Year campaign news breaks of plans to privatise the Cwmcarn Forest Drive.

A new collaboration between Caerphilly County Borough Council (CCBC), Natural Resources Wales (NRW) and the private sector is being proposed. The two former entities are jointly seeking a private sector partner to take on Cwmcarn Forest Drive and Visitor Centre. 

Although pushed as a positive and I quote the council release 'The future looks bright for Cwmcarn Forest Drive', my gut says caution as with similar announcements for Coed y Brenin and Bwlch Nant yr Arian (that we wrote about here).

It has the risk that MTB could be a low-level consideration, especially around Risca. NB Cwmcarn trails are part of an EU (remember them) grant that protects those trails for 30 years (so at least another 15 or so to go). 

The fundamental question we need to address more broadly is how do we ensure the economic survival of MTB outside of paid-for Bike Parks? As a sport, we need either an attributable income stream that drives revenues for any Forestry Commission or NRW land (and this needs to be maximised) or we ensure trails have protected legal status and public body funding. Until then we will continue to rearrange the deck chairs around the 'MTB" Titanic. 

Our understanding is that MTB in Cwmcarn is recognised as a positive revenue stream so this bodes well for the upcoming collaboration and so maybe my caution in not viewing all this as a positive is not warranted. Fingers crossed. 

You can check out the release here.

Caerphilly - Caerphilly County Borough

Oh and go vote for Cwmcarn and Risca in the campaign (If you have ridden and have an opinion on them as a riding spot) as something tells me that winning Trail of the Year (and they are within a hair's breadth), wouldn't hurt the cause to keep MTB top of mind, drive more visits, revenue which in turn drives MTB as an essential focus for the new collaboration. They are one of our MOST treasured MTB asset folks (as voted by you)!