Ambitious proposals include village centre and off-road improvements
Exhibitions and a series of community drop-ins are set to take place this month in Douglas, Leadhills and Wanlockhead, promoting the Concept Designs for active travel pathways in these communities.
The proposed Make Your Way: Key Links pathways will provide a network of easily navigated routes between Douglas and the National Cycle Network 74, and Leadhills and Wanlockhead, linking key community facilities, making it an easy and safe choice to walk, cycle or wheel to access the village centres for education, employment, transport or other everyday uses.
The proposed all abilities pathways will be designed to Cycle By Design standards to suit unaccompanied 12 year olds and will include village centre traffic management solutions.
Supported by Sustrans’ Places for Everyone fund, the project is managed by Rural Development Trust’s Community Action Lanarkshire programme and is being delivered by environmental consultants Ironside Farrar.
The open-air exhibitions are available to view 24 / 7 until Monday 1 November. They will take place in the following locations with complementary drop-in sessions as listed below and in the same locations. The drop-in sessions offer people a chance to speak directly with the project team from Community Action Lanarkshire and Ironside Farrar about the proposals. As outdoor events, there is no requirement to book, although people are asked to stick to 1 metre social distancing practices when they attend.
Douglas Weaver’s Yard Square. Drop-in: Wednesday 20 October, 3-7pm
Leadhills Primary School railings. Drop-in: Monday 25 October, 3-7pm
Wanlockhead Community Garden. Drop-in: Thursday 28 October, 3-7pm
Digital feedback forms are available to complete at https://bit.ly/MYWExhibition2021, with paper copies available for pick-up and drop-off at Douglas Crossburn Kitchen Cafe, Leadhills General Store and Wanlockhead phonebox.
Feedback from the exhibition and drop-ins will be used to form an application for funding for progressing the project to Detailed and Technical Design ahead of construction.
Mairi McAllan, MSP for Clydesdale and Minister for Environment and Land Reform, says, “these links will provide local communities with much needed accessible routes and in so doing, will provide vital employment, education, transport, social and recreational opportunities. In addition, the links will bring about wider economic benefits, as well as contributing to local and national active and sustainable travel objectives.”
Sarah O’Sullivan, Community Action Lanarkshire Project Officer says, “we encourage everyone to attend the exhibition and drop-ins and offer their feedback on the Concept Designs. The Concept Designs have been drafted following extensive consultation with Dumfries and Galloway Council, South Lanarkshire Council, landowners and the community. It is vital that the community continue to feed back their local knowledge and comments throughout the process, ensuring that the project is as well informed as possible.”
Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme is funded by the Scottish Government and aims to make places safer, healthier and more attractive through increasing and improving every day active travel journeys.
Exhibitions are available to view in the locations listed above until Monday 1 November. Feedback forms can be completed at https://bit.ly/MYWExhibition2021 or by picking up and dropping off completed forms to Douglas Crossburn Service Station, Leadhills General Store and Wanlockhead phonebox.
For further information on the project please contact Sarah O’Sullivan, Project Officer for Community Action Lanarkshire at