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Orkney council dips into £500,000 pot put aside for paths and cycleways

Orkney paths
Councillors have backed some options for distributing £500k put aside for paths and cycleways. Image: Andrew Stewart/DCThomson

Councillors in Orkney have been looking at how half-a-million in Covid recovery funding – that was set aside to improve footways, core paths, cycleways – should be spent.

The local authority’s development and infrastructure committee met this morning, with councillors backing plans for the money set out by council officers.

This includes setting aside £5,000 to complete the School Travel Plans project.

This is a project which set out to make journeys to and from the county’s schools safer and more sustainable, encouraging walking and cycling.

A further £100,000 would be used to give match funding to community groups, in relation to active travel projects.

Thirdly, £50,000 would be used for maintenance, repair, and renewal of the county’s existing active travel routes.

Also, feasibility studies will investigate whether more funding can be used for grading and review of Orkney’s core paths.

Councillors back plans to spend money on Orkney’s paths to schools, community-backed projects, and renewal of existing routes

The studies would look into what could be done – and the costs – at four routes in Kirkwall and two in Stromness.

This includes Wideford Farm, the Crantit Trail route, and the Weyland footpath all in Kirkwall.

They would also look into the cost of improving the routes at the “Kirkwall West Green Wedge” which includes the Peedie Sea, Pickaquoy Centre, Glaitness School and Housing developments there.

For Stromness, the studies would look at routes at Ferry Road and Faravel and the green spaces there.

Only after these feasibility studies and budget-setting process for next year are done will the council look at whether they can use up more of the £500,000 set aside for those projects.

The council’s officers said using the money for Orkney’s paths would line up with the Scottish Government targets.

This includes delivering on climate action, decarbonisation and climate change mitigation by developing walking and cycling routes.

With the council having its own Sustrans officer embedded at the council, it’s hoped the £500,000 being spent on paths will attract “significant additional sums of funding” which would also be spent on the county’s path networks.

Have other areas been missed out?

The council says it would create “a range of project management posts” to get the projects done.

While councillors were generally supportive, councillor Duncan Tullock was disappointed that the projects are only in Kirkwall and Stromness.

He said: “There are projects out west – in Dounby, Stenness, Finstown – which are all worthy.

“Are they missing out on money here? Are these projects being considered at a later date or to be funded separately.”

Mr Tullock was told that such projects could be covered by the £100,000 in match funding being set aside.

Councillor Leslie Manson was “chuffed” with the money being set aside, citing the health benefits of walking and cycling.

He sought assurances that the council is able to maintain the paths it already has.

Mr Manson also asked whether consideration was being given to replacing stiles on paths.

He was told there is a council staff member who visits Orkney’s paths and reports any maintenance needs.

As for the stiles, the council is looking at using more metal swing gates throughout the county.

They said this will better accommodate walkers with mobility issues and dogs.

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