Just to say thanks to everyone who came to the bike event at Errol Village Hall on Sunday 4th Sept. Hope you all enjoyed it. Here are some pictures:
Bike event feedback
Tag: errol
Path Event Sunday 4th Sept
Here’s what the path project did with the community in 2021
Despite Covid we managed to run two events during 2021.
In May we held a bike ride event in collaboration with Errol Primary School. A large group of around 30 kids supervised by trained ride leaders (mainly school staff) cycled the proposed routes of the path but on the road because the path is yet to be built.
We started from the School in Errol headed over to Grange, and then up to the Horn on the backroad before stopping at the Pickled Peacock café for a well-earned break of drinks and cake (which the Carse of Gowrie Group paid for as a thank you to the participants). Finally we came back through Errol Station and back to the school.
The sun shone and everyone seemed to have a good time.
The School is a real example of how many kids can bike and walk to school, and that is a testament to both kids and the dedication of staff to make it happen. Not all primary schools are as effective as Errol in getting kids engaged with this. Thanks and well done.
In November, we held a Saturday morning public consultation event in Errol Village Hall to show the proposed path designs to the community – and to hear what they thought and collect their comments. People were pleasantly surprised by the quality of the path proposed – minimum 2.5m wide with a tarmac surface – so room for walking, wheeling and biking. Again some fantastic complementary cakes were enjoyed by all to help the discussions along.
We are really pleased that at least 50 participants came and discussed the plans for the paths, and this shows a good level of interest from local people. People had a chance to leave comments on post-its. There were one or two concerns which we have talked through but the overwhelming majority of people were very positive.
We also held two Steering Group meetings in 2021. Steering Group members are interested local people who help direct the project. If you are interested in coming to a meeting then please use the contact form to get in touch.
Next phase of path development is awarded funding
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.
Carse of Gowrie Group (CoGG) 