There has long been desire to make safer provision for non-motorised users along the Baiglie Straight, but an increasing voice for this infrastructure together with the climate challenges facing us all has sharpened the focus. 

We at PKCT have for several years and with other partners, looked at trying to make links between these communities, away from the carriageway, using a combination of core paths and farm tracks. However, landowner agreements are key and without which, the previous proposals had to be shelved.

In late 2019, with the assistance of active travel charity Sustrans, we were able to begin the process to look at this more fully, with engineers (Transport Planning & Engineering, TP&E), and were asked to include investigation works of taking the route through to Newburgh and the Fife boundary. 

The local authority has the power to create an active travel route adjacent to the carriageway along the Baiglie Straight, and local support for such was already apparent. PKCT as the local charity working in conjunction with Perth and Kinross Council (PKC), has the capacity to fund raise and manage the development work. TP&E surveyed the route and appraised five route options which included remote paths the other side of the hedge from the carriageway and the existing route along the Dron Road. Aiming to deliver a route which is accessible to all, the option to develop the route in the northern verge of the carriageway was appraised as being the most advantageous, being assured of future maintenance and not requiring private landowner permission. Following the options appraisal, concept designs for the route have been developed and can be viewed on PKCT’s Bridge of Earn to Aberargie consultation webpage.

PKC, with financial assistance from Tactran (Tayside & Central Scotland Transport Partnership) has begun the process of upgrading the pavement between the roundabout at Aberargie to the Glenfoot junction, west of Abernethy and redetermining it to enable active travel along it. 

PKCT and TP&E are also appraising the route options between Glenfoot junction to Newburgh and this will likely be carried out in phases as landowners are identified and consulted.

The closing date for the community consultation on the first phase of this overall project – the Baiglie Straight, from Bridge of Earn to the Aberargie roundabout was the 4th May 2021, meanwhile work continues to develop designs for the road layout at the south eastern entrance to Bridge of Earn. With the Coronavirus restrictions, there is some slippage in delivery of the development work to finalise the design for this first phase, however if 100% funding can be secured, it is hoped that works could take place this autumn/winter. 

Works are also ongoing for the design and development of the continuation of the route to Newburgh. Community consultation shall begin just as soon as the route options are appraised and land owner identification and agreement where required is complete. 

Drawings of proposed route from Bridge of Earn to Aberargie can be found on the Bridge of Earn to Aberargie Consultation page on our website. It will not be possible to send paper copies at present due to the restrictions on access to our offices.  Therefore, please assist others who may want to view the drawings, where you safely can, without unnecessary travel. 

Thank you.