Published on:
23
May 2012
Keith Brown MSP, Minister for Housing and Transport will officially open the new Menstrie to Tullibody Cycle Route on Friday, 25th May.
The completion of the path is the latest section in Clackmannanshire Council's active travel strategy.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said: "Cycling safety and increasing the number of cyclists in Scotland is a huge priority for the Scottish Government and I was delighted to be invited along to open this new Menstrie-Tullibody cycle route.
"This path will help encourage more people in Clackmannanshire to get out and enjoy what is a fun, healthy, environmentally-friendly and cheap way to get around.
"I look forward to seeing how this path plays its part in making Scotland a more active and healthy nation."
Provost Tina Murphy, Garry Dallas, Director, Services to Communities, Clackmannanshire Council and John Lauder, Director, Sustrans Scotland will officially welcome the Minister.
Mr Lauder said: "Cycling and walking for our everyday journeys keeps us fit & healthy and is good for the environment and our wallets.
"Many Scots would like to get around under their own steam, but are put off cycling because they feel unsafe on our roads. Traffic-free routes linking communities, such as this one in Clackmannanshire, give more people the opportunity to get around without having to rely on a car."
Others who will be attending the opening include Councillors Les Sharp and George Matchett.
They will be joined at the ceremony by Alan Murray, Team Leader for Roads and Transportation, Martin Dean, Access Officer, members of Menstrie Community Council and Diageo, representatives from Clackmannanshire Disabled Cycling Group and pupils and staff from Menstrie Primary School.
It complements the completion of the NCN76 Queensferry - Dunfermline - Alloa - Stirling route, the Round the Forth Route via Clackmannanshire Bridge and the Alloa to Dollar route.
This latest section provides accessible, direct links between most of our communities and also to the strategic network.
The new cycle route will also provide a user friendly, off road link from the Hillfoots village of Menstrie to the neighbouring village of Tullibody and to the NCN76 which links to the NCN767 to Dollar and the NCN764 to Dunfermline.
The route is fully accessible to disabled users, with one of the main features of the new path being the construction of a new hardwood running surface on the old rail bridge.
The project has been jointly funded by Clackmannanshire Council, Sustrans, and Stirling and Clackmannanshire Environmental Trust.
After the Minister cuts the ribbon to open the new path, cyclists will depart on a supervised route to and from Carnbus.
Further works on the project will take place this year on the route to Alva. The project will cost a total of £290,000 to deliver with Clackmannanshire Council's £135,000 investment being supported by a £145,000 input from Sustrans and a £10,000 contribution from Stirling and Clackmannanshire Environmental Trust.
Clackmannanshire Council's Council Leader, Gary Womersley said: "Without the support of our partners this project would not have been achieved.
"I'm glad that, in addition to the significant funds invested by us, the greater sums of funding we've been able to attract will not only benefit Clackmannanshire residents, but continue to attract an increasing number of visitors to the area."
The further works will provide a Toucan crossing on the A91 at Menstrie and further surfacing works to extend the route to Alva.
These projects are under way and due to be completed by August 2012. The final section of this route, the section between Alva to Tillicoultry, is presently under design and is proposed to link the route back into the Alloa to Dollar route.
Once this section is complete virtually every settlement in Clackmannanshire will have a link to the active travel network.