DESPITE BEING more than a year since Perthshire residents voted to support lottery funding for a foot and cycle bridge linking Perth with Scone, the plan remains “on track,” it has been claimed.

A televised appeal for public votes supporting the Sustrans Connect2 project was a huge success and lottery funding was duly granted.

However work has yet to start, leading to concern among some of those who lent their support.

“For about a year now Perth and Kinross Council appears to have been silent regarding the popularly-voted Connect2 project for a new foot and cycle bridge across the Tay,” said one member of the public who contacted The Courier.

“It would be a shame if we let our council quietly drop this project.”

When contacted by The Courier a council spokesman insisted local authority funding had been granted to back up the lottery cash and said the bridge will be built as planned.

He said, “The council has committed funding to allow ground investigations and feasibility work to be undertaken, to determine the best site for the bridge.

“Discussions are also continuing with Sustrans to move the project forward.”

The Sustrans website claims the new bridge will be “exceptional” when complete—but gives little indication of a timeframe.

“The main road from Scone to Perth is not at all pleasant to cycle or walk along,” it says.

“By contrast, the paths through Quarrymill Woodland Park are an utter delight and this scheme to continue them via a bridge over the Tay to reach the North Inch will create an exceptional route for pedestrians and cyclists.

“In Muirton considerable reconstruction of existing houses gives an opportunity to reach the White Bridge over the mainline railway and the existing path along Town’s Lade.

“This route connects Scone with schools, the leisure centre, the town centre and the station and, at the same time, links Perth to both Scone and Scone Palace.”

Sustrans chief executive Malcolm Shepherd insists exciting times are ahead.

He said, “A year has passed since Sustrans, our partners and people all over the UK helped secure £50 million of Big Lottery Fund funding for new networks of walking and cycling paths in communities throughout the UK.

“In May 2008 we and the Big Lottery Fund signed a contract for the delivery of Connect2.

“This paved the way for us to begin work with our many local partners on all 79 schemes to ensure that they have in place all those necessities for the successful completion of new bridges and crossings as well as the networks of walking and cycling routes that Connect2 is all about.

“Recent months have been spent negotiating land, resolving planning issues and working up detailed designs for each scheme.”

The first lottery-funded Connect2 scheme has been opened in Dumfries and all of the schemes—including the Perth bridge—should be delivered “within five years.”

While the project may take time, Mr Shepherd insists it will be worth it.

He added, “Sustrans and our local partners across the UK are 100% committed to delivering the Connect2 schemes to the very highest standards as soon as possible.”