Council gearing up to promote pedal power
Hundreds of thousands of pounds will be spent in the next year to help transform Perth and Kinross into the pedal power capital of Scotland.
- By Kirsten Johnson
- Published in the Courier : 31.08.10
- Published online : 31.08.10 @ 12.27pm
A number of path and cycleway improvements are planned across the region, aimed at encouraging people to leave their cars at home.
A total of £240,000 has been allocated to the council under the national Cycling, Walking and Safer Streets (CWSS) project.
Major work has already begun on the Weem to Aberfeldy path, thanks to £40,000 extra funding from sustainable transport charity Sustrans.
The path, which will need £97,000 in total from the CWSS grant, will provide an off-road link enabling children to walk and cycle in safety to and from school.
A total of £37,500 has been allocated for new puffin crossings at the A94 Angus Road in Scone and the A94 Forfar Road in Coupar Angus near Larghan Park.
There are also plans for a toucan crossing on the A93 at Isla Road, Perth. It will be part of the Connect2 pedestrian river bridge path network.
Another £53,500 is proposed for a number of cycle path and footpath widening and improvement projects around Perth and Kinross using the CWSS grant. It will be supplemented by £36,000 from Sustrans.
The plans will be considered by the local council's enterprise and infrastructure committee at a meeting tomorrow.
The committee convener, John Kellas, said, "This money, and the projects it will allow us to implement, is most welcome. It will encourage people out of their cars and make it easier for them to get to work, school and to leisure and social activities by foot or by bike.
"The schemes will also help people to get fit and reduce the carbon footprint within Perth and Kinross. As a council, we need to do all we can to promote sustainable travel.
"We are also keen to promote Perth and Kinross as a key destination for cycling tourism, and so these improvements to the local cycle path network are very important."
Photo used under a Creative Commons licence courtesy of Flickr user loop_oh.
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