Tag: active travel

Off the road walking and cycling links are getting a boost between the Carse villages of Errol, Errol Station and Grange.  We have been successful in securing funding for the next stage of development of the paths. 

The Group’s secretary Roger Humphry said “Roads in the Errol area are experiencing increasing levels of traffic, both cars and HGVs, and if local people including children are to feel save cycling and walking, then we need good quality off road paths.”

Chair Ron Gillies said “We’re really pleased to working positively with Perth and Kinross Council and local landowners to realise this project.  In the longer term we would like to extend the off the road path network across the Carse”.

Last year’s community consultation on the proposed paths showed overwhelming support for more and better links.  It also showed that the main barrier to cycling and walking was road safety, as people were afraid of fast moving vehicles on rural roads.  That perception of danger is borne out by Government statistics; cyclists on rural ‘A’ roads are twice as likely to be killed (per mile travelled) than cyclists on urban roads. 

The current situation is that there is not even a pavement between Errol and Grange, although they are only a mile and a half apart. Pedestrians in particular face an unpleasant and dangerous walk along the straight road joining the villages. They have to deal with fast vehicles and large puddles. 

Carse of Gowrie Group has been awarded £60,000 through Sustrans Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, which is funded by Transport Scotland, to carry out concept design and route development for a traffic free path route.  

The Group are planning a cycle festival event to be held around Easter as part of the project.