Seance aids link bid (From Barry And District News)

Seance aids link bid

A PEOPLE power mock sance has brought the Barry Island steps back from the dead.

Campaigners met last Friday in a bid to get the vital linkway from Clive Road to the town re-opened - two years after Associated British Ports (ABP) took them away.

Now after a fierce campaign, hours of lobbying and the mock sance they may soon be able to claim victory.

The Welsh Development Agency (WDA) has funded a feasibility study into reopening the link, and it is hoped they will pay 80 percent towards the cost of their resurrection, with the Vale of Glamorgan Council picking up the remaining 20 percent.

A decision on the proposal is expected in the next few weeks. Long-time campaigners Graham Gwilliam MBE and Barry Jones are optimistic after the two-year fight.

Graham of Clive Road, told the News: "The government want us to be healthy, so we should have this pathway. It has been used for more than 100 years. It should continue.

"At the sance we had rusty tank punch, ash path cake and fenced off cake just to lighten the mood of what is a very important issue. We wanted to get to the other side."

Barry Jones added: "The path is a great way of getting into the town centre, because otherwise people have to walk right around. Morrison's supermarket. This path is a main artery for the area and links the Barry Island community with Barry town centre."

The campaigners' fight has also attracted the support of the town's politicians.

Vale AM Jane Hutt, who was present at the sance added: "Hard work and determination has been the name of the game in our campaign." Plaid Cymru councillors Stefan Wiliams and Nic Hodges, were also strong supporters of the fight.

Cllr Wiliams said: "At long last both the council and the WDA have been able to find the necessary cash for this scheme. The landowner, ABP, have agreed to the re-opening of the steps, subject to legal and security issues being resolved."