Funding Boost for Rural Scottish Borders

Scottish Borders Council (SBC) is pleased to announce that it has been awarded £599,965 to develop the Tweed Valley path network in the tenth round of Rural Priorities funding. The project will provide an off-road route connecting the town of Peebles to the villages of Cardrona and Innerleithen in the Tweed Valley, along with safe cycling and walking links between these communities, plus a link between the world-class 7stanes mountain biking centres at Glentress and Innerleithen. The proposed route is along a former single track railway. The development of the route links existing and aspirational routes in the Scottish Borders Core Path Plan. Following feasibility and detailed design work, planning permission for the development of the route between Peebles and Innerleithen was granted in March 2009. It is hoped that this proposal will help to encourage more recreational cycling in the Tweed Valley, and will also help to keep 7stanes centres at the forefront of an expanding market. Glentress is currently the most popular visitor destination in the Scottish Borders with approximately 300,000 visitors per annum. Cycling has been identified as having considerable potential in the Scottish Borders and a feasibility study in 2006 identified that the area would benefit from more 'low level' routes appealing to family and recreational cyclists. Cycling has also been identified as a key priority in the Scottish Borders Tourism Action Plan, and the further development of leisure cycling and walking routes will bring considerable economic benefits to the Tweed Valley area. A feasibility study has identified market demand for the project, which estimates 27,600 cyclists and 22,400 other users using the route, with 5,000 visitors attracted to the Tweed Valley specifically because of the trail. This equates to gross economic expenditure of £1,046,000, creating an estimated 15 net tourism jobs. Project costs (trail and bridge construction and associated way-marking) are estimated at £800,000. Match funding of £200,000 is being contributed from Sustrans and SBC. It is anticipated that the project will start in 2011 and be completed by December 2012. Councillor Vicky Davidson, Executive Member for Economic Development, said: "We are absolutely delighted with the award, which is the culmination of a lot of hard work by the various individuals involved. This award enables the route to be extended to Cardrona and Innerleithen creating over seven kilometres of new path, and linking the two associated world-class mountain bike centres at Glentress and Elibank. The route also incorporates a new footbridge crossing of the River Tweed and helps SBC in creating core paths for public access, as well as boosting tourism and employment in the area." Councillor Jim Fullarton, Executive Member for Roads and Infrastructure, said: "The grant, along with funding from SBC and Sustrans, will enable us to progress with the next stages of the Tweed Valley Path network. Planning permission for a shared access route for walkers, cyclists and horse riders between Peebles and Innerleithen was granted in March 2009. The first phase of the path between Peebles and Eshiels, including the restoration of the old railway tunnel under the A72, was completed in May last year." Bill Meadows, Forestry Commission Scotland's Manager for the Borders and Dumfries, added: "This is great news and we are very supportive of the new trail network which will link the Commission's famous Glentress and Innerleithen 7stanes mountain bike centres. There are lots of fantastic developments happening around the Tweed Valley, including the new Glentress Peel visitor centre. To have these forest tourism attractions linked up together in this way is a real boost for the communities involved and the local economies too."

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