Lochgilphead Front Green to Crinan Canal Active Travel Route

Identifying a preferred route option for the Lochgilphead Front Green to Crinan Canal active travel route.

The public consultation on the preferred route option is now closed. We would like to thank everyone who took part in the consultation on the preferred route option.

Some headline figures from the consultation are provided below:

  • 99 responses received
  • 59% of responses were supportive of the preferred route option

The main reasons for supporting the preferred option were:

  • It is better value/more deliverable
  • It will have less of an impact on the Corran Grazings ecology
  • It will improve safety 
  • It is the better option for horse riders
  • The future maintenance will be easier

Next Steps

Argyll and Bute Council will prepare a new Places for Everyone funding application and submit this to Sustrans for the project design stages 3 and 4. 

Sustrans have advised that decisions on Places for Everyone Stage 3 and 4 application will be made in April/March 2024

 Detailed information on how the preferred route option was identified is provided in the Options Appraisal Report

Background

A safe and continuous walking and cycling route linking Lochgilphead with Ardrishaig was identified in the 2016 ‘Rethink the Link’ Charrette as a means to encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycling for everyday journeys between these two important settlements in mid Argyll. The benefits of an improved active travel link between Lochgilphead and Crinan Canal, which forms part of the NCN 78  Caledonia Way, was also recognised as being an important and would help to promote the presence of the Crinan Canal and the NCN. 

A concept design for a route was produced in 2020; however as a result of feedback from Sustrans (the project sponsors) and changes to the design standards for cycling infrastructure (Cycling by Design was updated in 2021) it was felt that the initial concept design was no longer appropriate and a further and more robust options appraisal was required in order to progress the project towards the delivery stages.

In 2021 Stantec were appointed to undertake a new options appraisal and arrive at a concept design for this route.

The new options appraisal required Stantec to recommend a preferred route option and design that for a route that provided a high level of service in line with the new cycling by design principles and standards. Another key factor in determining the preferred route option was that it was required to demonstrate a high degree of deliverability and represented the best opportunity for attracting future external funding for the project.  The project currently only has funding up to design stage 2 (concept design)

Between 30th January and 27th February 2023 Stantec led a public consultation seeking peoples thoughts on a number of route option ideas. The findings from this previous consultation can be viewed in the March 2023 Community Engagement Report.

The findings from the earlier consultation was one of a number a contributing factors in helping to determine the route option that is recommend in the Options Appraisal Report

Contact details

Douglas Grierson
Transformation Projects and Regeneration Project Officer
Argyll and Bute Council
Whitegates Office
Lochgilphead

douglas.grierson@argyll-bute.gov.uk

Phone: 01546 604228
Mobile: 07585 884928

If you require any further information, please contact Douglas Grierson

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