Local communities and businesses have given their backing to the latest proposed designs for a new walking, wheeling and cycling route between Stanley and Luncarty.
The new active travel route will allow safe off-road everyday journeys to be made between the two communities, as well as the local path networks and the long-distance route, the River Tay Way.
The latest designs, which include the newest potential route alignments that have taken on board community feedback, has been launched by project partners Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) and Stanley Development Trust (SDT) along with engineers Transport, Planning and Engineering Ltd (TP&E) and Luncarty, Redgorton and Moneydie Community Council.
Verdant Leisure, who are currently developing the River Tay Leisure Park near Stanley, champion countryside walking and connections to its guests as one of the area’s best features, which is why they support the active travel route being proposed as part of the project.
Stanley and Luncarty local communities are excited about the overall project and hope it means a safer, more direct and family-friendly means of commuting and visiting between the villages and beyond.
Operations director at Verdant Leisure George Hope said: “This project gets people closer to nature whilst getting around, which fits perfectly with our aspirations for features of the area our guests will love.
“We hope that working with PKCT and SDT will see their route realised for the health and socio-economic benefits of the communities and visitors to the area.”
Mark McDonald of SDT commented: “This latest concept design is very encouraging. PKCT and TP&E have been sympathetic to public feedback and survey results from the public consultation last year over the preferred route.
“We have so many people looking forward to being able to cycle or walk to Luncarty or Perth for work, school and generally to see friends and family.
“It’s more than just trying to look after the local environment by reducing car use, it’s also about the journey and enjoying being in the countryside.
“We really look forward to the next stages of developed design.”
This new active travel route is being developed as part of the River Tay Way – a new long-distance walking and cycling route between Perth and Kenmore following the Tay and connecting Perth, Luncarty, Stanley, Dunkeld and Birnam, Aberfeldy and Kenmore through a ‘daisy chain’ of community links to enable low-carbon, active travel and additional local economic income for the area.
Frank Stevenson of Luncarty Community Council said: “Mental and physical health and wellbeing is something we’re all keenly aware of, especially on the back of the pandemic, so facilities that let us all enjoy the countryside while keeping fit will benefit everyone.
“The provision of a safe travel route between Luncarty and Stanley will be a great boost for both villages, especially our children, who finally will be able to use a safe route to meet with friends.”
Andrew Barrie, PKCT’s strategic route officer who is managing the Stanley to Luncarty Active Travel Route project, said: “We have taken on board the latest comments from the public, landowners and businesses to help shape this new concept design.
“It shows a new possible route alignment that we have worked with businesses like Verdant Leisure to create to benefit the local communities, their visitors, and adventurers from further afield.”
Funding for the project came through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme, an active travel infrastructure grant backed by Transport Scotland.
The aim of Places for Everyone is to create safe, attractive, healthier places by increasing the number of trips made by walking, cycling and wheeling for everyday journeys.
Grant adviser for Sustrans in the Perth and Kinross region Steven Psihramis said: “The Luncarty to Stanley active travel route gives people the freedom to walk, wheel and cycle comfortably around their local area for the first time.
“This means healthier, more enjoyable journeys to school and work, the opportunity to see friends and family, and greater access to shopping and leisure facilities.”
The project has so far included exploring all possible paths a new route for people travelling by foot, by bike or by wheel could take to link the two communities, development of route maps, surveys, budgeting and landowner and community consultation.
