A new active travel path was officially opened in Perth today, Monday, April 14^th.

Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) secured nearly £83,000 of funding from the Paths for All Ian Findlay Path Fund to deliver a new active travel project at Jeanfield Swifts Football Club in Perth in partnership with Perth and Kinross Council (PKC).

The new active travel route links the National Cycle Network and Riverside Stadium to a network of existing paths between Perth Grammar, the North Inch Community Campus and local residential areas, and replaces an informal trail on an area of greenspace managed by PKC. PKC has also installed additional bicycle parking at the football ground thanks to funding from Cycling Scotland.

By linking multiple key destinations such as schools, shops, the football ground and active travel for leisure routes, the new path provides access to safer walking and wheeling options for everyday journeys such as commuting to work and accessing facilities.

It is hoped that this will encourage local residents to increase their use of active travel and public transport, and reduce dependency on car usage.

Back left to right: Michael Findlay (Perth and Kinross Council), Iwan Davies (Jeanfield Swifts), Councillor Eric Drysdale and Andrew Barrie (PKCT)

open the new active travel route along with young footballers from Jeanfield Swifts

Andrew Barrie, PKCT’s Strategic Routes Officer, said:

“We are delighted to have received funding from the Ian Findlay Path Fund. The new path creates a much safer link for everyone to access Jeanfield Swifts Football Club.

“The route also provides better access to the National Cycle Network and the River Tay Way, a new long-distance walking and cycling route that links Perth to Kenmore.

“Projects that improve active travel in this way are so important as they allow everyone to think about how they make local journeys and consider sustainable travel options such as walking and cycling, which contributes to improving physical, mental and social health and wellbeing and helps to reduce carbon emissions.

“We’re therefore hugely grateful to Paths for All for supporting us to create and improve active travel networks in our area.”

Paths for All is Scotland’s walking charity. The Ian Findlay Path Fund, which is backed by Transport Scotland, supports the improvement of local paths within and between communities, making it easier for people to choose active travel and public transport for everyday journeys for a happier, healthier, greener Scotland.

Rosie Mckee, Development Officer, commented:

“The Ian Findlay Path Fund supports projects that help to connect communities and make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for everyday journeys. We wish to pay tribute to the enormous effort that has gone into bringing the project to this point and we look forward to seeing the new route being used.”

Iwan Davies, Jeanfield Swifts Club Secretary, added:  

 

“At Jeanfield Swifts Community FC we are delighted with the funding and delivery of the new path and cycle parking. This new active travel link will make it safer for many of our young people to walk and cycle to training and games, avoiding the need for them to negotiate the entrance to our car park.

 

“We hope that more and more visitors to Riverside Stadium will choose to arrive on foot or by bike, cutting unnecessary car journeys and reducing the burden on car parking in the neighbourhood. As an organisation that promotes healthy physical activity, we were very pleased to be able to take part in this project and are grateful to PKCT, Paths for All Ian Findlay Path Fund, Perth and Kinross Council and Cycling Scotland for their support.”

 

Councillor Eric Drysdale, PKC’s Economy and Infrastructure Convener, commented:

 

"We are incredibly pleased to support these vital infrastructure improvements that strengthen the connection between Jeanfield Swifts Football Club and our local community. This initiative not only builds on the club's efforts to engage young people in sport but also offers a sustainable and safe route for everyone, helping to support a healthier, more connected community for all."