Ten projects progress to stage two of multi-million pound active travel competition, Community Links PLUS (CLPlus)
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Issued by SUSTRANS
The Highland Council advance to stage two of competition with Inverness City Active Travel Network design
Run by Sustrans and funded by the Scottish Government, CLPlus delivers pioneering and game-changing projects which inspire communities and councils in Scotland to design better places and spaces and to create active travel exemplars.
Having made it into the second stage the Local Authorities will now receive up to £10,000 of funding to further work up their proposals.
The Highland Council’s ‘Inverness City Active Travel Network’ proposes to develop and deliver a comprehensive active travel network across the city, with the aim to double the level of cycling. The Dutch-inspired infrastructure would provide practical every day transport for the city whilst promoting health, reducing congestion and creating public spaces.
CLPlus is demonstrating that designing places around the needs of people delivers a wide range of benefits, including boosting local economies, healthier communities and safer, more attractive, streets.
Provost of Inverness, Councillor Helen Carmichael, said: “Inverness is a city that understands the importance of long and fulfilled lives lived in good health and the importance of tourism and inward investment, supported by a strong city centre and employment base.
“The Inverness City Active Travel Network will add to and improve what we have already achieved.”
Last year’s winning entry, Glasgow City Council’s ‘South City Way’, impressed the CLPlus panel with its exemplary design and place making potential. On completion in Summer 2018 the South City Way will run from Glasgow’s Southside in to the heart of the Merchant City. Announced as the winner in August 2016, The ‘South City Way’ was awarded £3,250,000 of funding from Sustrans and The Scottish Government, with the investment match-funded by Glasgow City Council.
Humza Yousaf, Minister for Transport and The Islands said: “I am delighted that 10 worthy candidates have made it through to the second round of the Community Links PLUS design competition. Local authorities have really upped their game this year and the bids received are of a high quality. I know Sustrans Scotland and all partners will work together to ensure another exemplar active travel project is delivered over the coming years.”
Daisy Narayanan, Sustrans Scotland National Acting Director, commented: “Community Links PLUS is in its second year and following from last year’s success, we’ve noticed continued growth in the level of ambition and innovation in the project proposals. There continues to be interest from right across Scotland with a good mix of urban, suburban and rural proposals.
“We are both impressed and inspired by the delivery of design in this year’s applications, with every stage two entry capable of winning. Community Links PLUS is designed with communities in mind and we will continue to design places around people, now and into the future.”
Stage two competitors will now have until February 3, 2017 to work on their proposals before they are again reviewed by an independent panel, and up to five are announced as stage three finalists.
The finalists will receive additional funding of up to £40,000 to complete detailed proposals and present to a cross-sector expert panel, chaired by Transport Scotland Chief Executive Roy Brannen.
A winning design will be announced late summer 2017.
The ten projects which have progressed are:
Aberdeen City Council (A944 Cycle Route) - to implement a high quality, continuous and segregated cycle route along the A944 corridor principally between Aberdeen City Centre, passing Aberdeen Royal Infirmary and out to the communities of Kingswells and Westhill.
The City of Edinburgh Council (City Centre West to East Cycle Link and Street Improvements Project) - to provide a step change in the quality of west to east cycle access through Edinburgh city centre.
The City of Edinburgh Council (The West Edinburgh Active Travel Network) – to develop an attractive, direct and convenient cycling and walking route from the west edge of Edinburgh city centre at Roseburn to the major business district of the Gyle/Edinburgh Park. A ‘mini Holland’ approach will be applied to the business district, transforming a car dominated development into a people-friendly place.
The City of Edinburgh Council (Meadows to George Street - streets for people) – a project to transform Forrest Road - George IV Bridge – The Mound - and Hanover St to streets where walking, cycling and public space take top priority. The design features a Trondheim-style bike lift.
Glasgow City Council (Woodside Mini-Holland) - comprising a strategic segregated cycle route along St George’s Road linking the Forth and Clyde Canal, regeneration work at Port Dundas and Sighthill with the City Centre and particularly the Sauchiehall Street Avenue project
Highland Council (Inverness City Active Travel Network) – to develop concept proposals for the east-west corridor in order to demonstrate the potential for transformative change throughout the Inverness City Active Travel Network.
Moray Council (Connecting Elgin Town Centre) - to link the residential areas to the south of the town to the centre and adjacent retail areas, providing a continuous link for active travel by completing missing links across the railway line and by reallocating road space to give a safe network of routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
North Ayrshire Council (Coastal Connections)- to improve the connections between Irvine and the Three Towns of Stevenston, Saltcoats and Ardrossan - creating new and improved opportunities for active travel and joined up journeys with the public transport network. It will achieve this through the creation of fixed links or bridges; creation of new routes; construction of missing links; improved linkage to public transport networks; improved signage and waymarking; and creation of placemaking hubs at strategic locations.
Renfrewshire Council (Bishopton/ Dargaval Village, Active Travel Link) - to connect the largest residential development Renfrewshire has seen in years, Dargarval Village, to existing and planned employment and amenity centres within cycling distance, with a safe segregated cycle/footway capable of use by cyclists of all levels of experience.
Stirling Council (City Boulevard & Cowane Street) - to create an integrated, attractive and high-quality walking and cycling network in Stirling along Cowane Street which provides the direct corridor between Stirling City Centre and Stirling Bridge, with onward routes to the large communities of Raploch, Cornton, Causewayhead, Bridge of Allan and the University of Stirling. Plans also include the creation of a pedestrian and cycle friendly streetscape from King’s Park into and through Stirling City Centre along Dumbarton Road/Albert Place, Wellgreen and Upper Craigs.