Funding found for towns' track link

David O'Leary • Published 18 Mar 2011 09:30 1 Comment

THE missing link in Tweed Valley's bicycle chain was finally found this week.

Scottish Borders Council have been awarded £599,965 from the Scottish Government's Rural Priorities Fund to fully develop the long-awaited Tweed Valley path network.

The project will link Peebles, Cardrona and Innerleithen through over seven kilometres of new path, including links to the 7Stanes centre at Glentress as well as the downhill course at Innerleithen.

Three years ago a joint scheme between cycling charity Sustrans and the local authority was started which resulted in a six-mile stretch of the former railway line between Innerleithen and Peebles being planned for a cycling and walking link.

However the brakes were put on the project at Cardrona due to the need of a bridge crossing.

This week's cash will now go towards building the crossing and further developing the pathways.

Local MSP Jeremy Purvis welcomed the news. He said: "I know that this funding will make a big difference and offer walkers and cyclists a great opportunity to travel safely and securely along the Tweed Valley.

"It will help cement the area as perhaps the best cycling area of any part of the whole UK and it is a spur for further action."

Over 300,000 bikers visit Glentress and Innerleithen biking centres each year and the new link is expected to attract even more with further cycling-friendly marketing.

Catherine Maxwell Stuart, chair of the Tweed Valley Tourist Consortium said: "This really is fantastic news and will prove a massive benefit to the area in attracting bikers and walkers. This will further link the communities of Peebles, Innerleithen and Cradrona and help in safely moving people around the Tweed Valley."

Local councillor Catriona Bhatia said: "This is truly, long-awaited good news and it's a credit to all those who campaigned for it. Council officers must also be praised for their part in finding an innovative way to acquire funding while capital funds are under such pressure."

Innerleithen Community Council chair Ross McGinn was likewise overjoyed at the news which has come only months after the town's success in acquiring suoperfast broadband from BT.

He said: "I'm absolutely delighted, Innerleithen is most definitely on a roll at the moment. The benefits to the area are vast, this is a massive part of our whole strategy to improve the area. Now we just need to concentrate on getting a bike uplift."

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This article appeared in Peeblesshire News 18 Mar 11

Have your say. Post a comment on this article.

• 

  hazelkaye
  224 posts
  Mar 20, 12:37
  Report comment

  Good to see the Peebles-Innerleithen railway line returning to 'transport' use!
  
  Pity it closed in 1962!
  
  Recommend?   Yes 0     No 0

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