Plan B Forum

People in Varteg in Torfaen fear they will be open to ridicule if proposals to use the Welsh language name 'Y Farteg' are adopted.



Many road signs in Wales show place names in both Welsh and English, and Torfaen council is consulting on which forms should be used on signs and maps.

The Welsh Language Commissioner supports the use of Y Farteg.

Torfaen councillor Giles Davies said: "You can just imagine people taking photos and putting them on Facebook."

Mr Davies said there was strong opposition from villagers, who have collected a protest petition with 150 names so far.

The commissioner has told Torfaen council that Y Farteg is the name backed by the standard reference work, A Gazetteer of Welsh Place Names, and its recommendation should not be changed "without good reason".

For phonetic reasons the Welsh language 'f' is sometimes anglicised to the English 'v', something which has apparently happened to Varteg over many years.

If Y Farteg was adopted it would not replace Varteg, and both names would be shown on local signs.

But Mr Davies said: "Varteg is actually a Welsh name so we can't understand why people want to change it.

Varteg is actually a Welsh name

The Welsh Language Commissioner

Plans to adopt the Welsh place name Y Farteg for the Torfaen village of Varteg have been scrapped due to "overwhelming" public opposition.

Torfaen councillor Richard Clark, who made the decision, said he had listened to residents' views before making up his mind.

Some villagers feared the community would be ridiculed if it was forced to include Y Farteg on signs.

The plan was proposed as many signs include both English and Welsh names.

There is no letter 'V' in the Welsh alphabet so Varteg becomes Farteg.

Mr Clark, who is Torfaen's cabinet member for health, social care, wellbeing and equalities, said he put the matter out to consultation in November after residents raised concerns.


There were worries the area would be laughed at and concerns it could have a negative impact on the nearby Blaenavon World Heritage site, he said.

A petition with about 170 names was submitted opposing the proposal and Mr Clark said public feeling against the plan was "overwhelming".

"Whilst we in Wales understand the pronunciation, outsiders will say it Fart-egg and that will bring the area into disrepute and the residents with it," he said.