Demand for cash to build new Loch Ness cycle route
Cash must be made available to help create a car-free route for cyclists on the north side of Loch Ness, a campaigner believes.
Ged Church, convener of the Highland Cycling Campaign, made the plea following the launch of a new cycle and pedestrian path over the Inverness to Perth railway line.
The new route links the Inverness College UHI campus with the retail and business park in Eastfield Way for the first time.
The event also included the launch of an ambitious masterplan aimed at turning the city into one of the world’s most cycle-friendly places.
Created by several key local bodies, "Cycling INverness: Creating a City Fit for the Future" focuses on five interlinked projects with the Highland capital at the centre.
Mr Church welcomed the launch of the cycling vision, which has backing from the council and tourism groups, but said funding had to be forthcoming.
"While I enjoyed the event and felt it was a good step forward – thanks to all the people involved in making it happen – when it comes to getting money for it, it is just not there," said Mr Church, citing previous hopes to develop a low-level path on the north side of Loch Ness.
He believes the Loch Ness-side route would be used by visitors and commuters wanting to cycle into Inverness from Drumnadrochit.
He added that such a project, costing an estimated £20 million, had been shelved by the Scottish Government around 2007 yet the A9 was being widened over 10 years between Inverness and Perth at a cost of £3 billion – 150 times the cost. Had the project gone ahead, it might have been by finished by now.
"There has to be a huge shift in priorities," Mr Church said.
But a Transport Scotland spokeswoman insisted cycling provision in the area was a consideration.
"There are no current plans to build a cycle path on the north side of Loch Ness;, however, Inverness city centre is one of five shortlisted projects for Community Links Plus grant funding," she said.
The programme, run by Sustrans Scotland and the Scottish Government, aims to help improve the cycling network for everyday journeys. The winners from the five entries bidding for funding will be announced in June.
"Suitable provision for all users, including cyclists, is also an important part of both the A9 and the A96 dualling programmes, including the Inverness to Nairn and Nairn bypass scheme," the spokeswoman added.
Also present at the opening of the new path, linking Inverness campus and the retail park, was Neil Macrae, of Hitrans, who said the organisation was working hard to achieve the Scottish Government’s aspiration that 10 per cent of all journeys would be made by bike by 2020.
"The Highlands and Islands lead the way as the region with the highest percentage of people cycling to work in Scotland, and Inverness is the top city according to the 2011 census," he said. "But even in Inverness this amounts to only around five per cent, so clearly a lot still needs to be done."
The new route has been funded jointly by Sustrans and HIE, in partnership with Hitrans and Transport Scotland.
The cycling masterplan was created by several organisations including VisitScotland, Highland Council, Highlands and Islands Enterprise and Hitrans.
