A new route for walking, cycling and wheeling is being considered for residents and visitors north of Perth. The new path will provide better community links whilst allowing users to keep active and healthy. 

£77,000 of Scottish Government funding, through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme has been secured to begin investigations into an active travel route between Stanley and Luncarty by partners Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) and Stanley Development Trust (SDT).

The first phase of the project, for which funding has been granted, will allow PKCT to work with its partners to develop an options appraisal exploring all possible paths an active travel route could take to link the two communities.

The first phase will also include the development of route maps, surveys, budgeting and landowner and community consultation.

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 mighty River 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.

Andrew Barrie, PKCT Strategic Routes Officer, said:

Active travel is great for keeping healthy, creating safer means of travel and looking after the environment. We are so pleased to have secured this funding from Sustrans to start the process of planning a new route to link communities together. The Stanley Development Trust developed a feasibility report for such a path previously, which we’ll use as a guide for our new investigations, but lots has changed over recent years, including proposed housing developments and massive changes to the A9. We need to take a fresh look at all the issues and options and consult closely with the local community and landowners to determine the best route option.

Mark McDonald at SDT commented:

The Stanley Development Trust have previously made significant headway developing an interlinking community path and see the partnership with PKCT as a vital step to ensure a community led designed path is developed. The village of Stanley has become the latest Perthshire community embarking on a vast housing expansion and requires now, more than ever an interlinking path network to allow safe, promoted cycle and walkways for commuting and active travel. We have recorded a significant uptake in active travel during lockdown with many walkers and cyclists being forced to use the B9099, this is not safe for cyclists, walkers or car users and we look at segregation to provide a safer environment for all. We believe this supports the UK ambition towards net zero emissions, provides a cleaner and safer future for all our children and will allow for an increase in tourism to flourish our local businesses.

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.

The scheme is funded by the Scottish Government through Transport Scotland and is administered by Sustrans.

Places for Everyone contributes to the Scottish Government’s aim for a healthier, environmentally sustainable nation with a strong economy and communities, as laid out in the National Performance Framework.

About Places for Everyone: Funded by Scottish Government, Sustrans’ Places For Everyone programme provides advice, support and funding for the creation of infrastructure for safe, attractive and healthier places by increasing the number of trips made by walking, cycling and wheeling. www.showcase.Sustrans.org.uk