Ten active travel proposals from eight Scottish councils have each been awarded an initial £50,000 under the first phase of a multi-million pound competition.
Charity Sustrans said its Community Links PLUS (CLPLUS), which is funded by the Scottish Government, delivers ‘pioneering and game-changing projects’ that inspire public bodies to design ‘better places and spaces for people to live, walk and cycle in for everyday journeys’.
Each of the 10 projects, three of which are from Glasgow City Council, has been given a grant of £50,000 to further develop their proposals.
Sustrans said that ‘a number’ of the 10 finalists will be selected to be taken to construction after 2020, with both the number of winners and the funding awarded depending on the ambition and cost of the proposals.
Dundee City Development Committee convener Lynne Short and deputy convener Mark Flynn
Transport secretary Michael Matheson said: ‘The Community Links Plus fund generates some of the most exciting ideas for introducing the infrastructure we need to encourage more people to leave their cars at home and make journeys by bike or on foot.
‘It’s very encouraging to see we have eight different local authorities which have not only identified opportunities in their areas but have been shortlisted for this stage of the competition. We will look forward to finding out which ideas are taken through to construction.’
Sustrans Scotland head of infrastructure Matthew Macdonald said: ‘These 10 shortlisted projects are a bold step towards a healthier, more sustainable and vibrant Scotland which designs places around the needs of people over vehicular access.
‘These exemplar projects demonstrate the wide ranging benefits that well designing safer, friendlier places bring, such as boosting footfall for local business, improving the health of local people and creating safer environments that are more pleasant to live in and move through.’
The next stage will include engagement with local communities and stakeholders and developing designs that could be taken to construction. Each project is expected to begin further development of the proposals within the next month, with the judging stage of the competition set to take place in April next year.
The 10 shortlisted projects are:
- Angus Council: Accessible Arbroath, Active Travel, Active Town
- City of Edinburgh Council: Edinburgh Active Travel Network
- Dundee City Council: Northern Links
- East Renfrewshire Council: A727 Active Travel Corridor,Toll to Toll, and the A77 Newton Mearns to Glasgow Cycle Corridor
- Glasgow City Council: North City Way
- Glasgow City Council: Yorkhill Kelvingrove Cycling Village
- Glasgow City Council: Glasgow Avenues Plus
- North Ayrshire Council: Coastal Connections
- Perth and Kinross Council: Perth City Region Cycle Network
- South Ayrshire Council: Accessible Ayr
For more on the projects, click here.
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