New active travel project 'transformational' for Stirling
It has been funded by the Scottish Government through Sustrans' Places for Everyone programme (£8.4 million) and via the City Region Deal (£2.5 million), and by Stirling Council from developer contributions (£325,000).
Route one links Stirling Train Station and the University of Stirling, taking in landmarks like Old Stirling Bridge and the National Wallace Monument along the way.
Route two has bridged the gaps between Forth Valley College and Stirling's historic city centre under the shadow of Stirling Castle.
READ MORE:
Opening date revealed for new road bridge spanning River Clyde
'Landmark' cycle routes deliver record share of journeys by bike in Scotland
Latest Avenues work in Glasgow begins in 'key entrance point'
The new infrastructure will also lay the foundations for future connections to Clackmannanshire and the wider Forth Valley region, and support the objectives of Stirling Council's Climate and Nature Emergency Plan.
The project was officially opened on Thursday at a section of the route next to Wallace High School, with staff and pupils, funding partners and other key local stakeholders in attendance.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: 'I'm very pleased to officially open the Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling project. Funded by almost £11 million from the Scottish Government, these two new major active travel corridors will make it easier for people to walk, wheel and cycle for shorter everyday journeys.
'This means more people saving money, living healthier lives and leaving their car at home to reduce their emissions.
'To support the ambitions of Scotland's local authorities for more high quality active travel infrastructure, we are investing £188 million into active and sustainable transport in 2025-26. This will help ensure more people and communities across Scotland can benefit from easier sustainable travel options.'
'To help communities prosper, the Scottish Government is investing £45 million through the Stirling and Clackmannanshire City Region Deal.
'The Deal aims to create 5,000 jobs in Clackmannanshire and Stirling by boosting transport, tourism, training, business growth and projects to tackle climate change.'
Stirling Council Depute Leader, Cllr Jen Preston said: 'I'm thrilled we are marking the completion of this landmark project that will transform how people and places in Stirling are connected.
'Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling sets a new standard for active travel infrastructure in a Scottish city. For the first time ever, there are seamless routes for cycling and walking in the heart of Stirling, linking communities and public transport hubs to businesses, schools, the university and college, as well as the wider region.
'The new infrastructure has already been used by people of all ages in our communities, including by pupils and staff at Wallace High, and it's going to be a key part of how we support the growing shift to active travel as well as increasing footfall and economic activity for our businesses.
'I want to thank all our residents and businesses for their patience and understanding during the works, and we are committed to engaging with them to unlock the full benefits of this major investment.'
Simon Strain, Head of Programme, Places for Everyone at Sustrans said: 'Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling is transformational for the city.
'Making walking, wheeling and cycling safer and easier means everyone moving around Stirling has more choice for everyday journeys.
'Feeling confident enough to choose to walk, wheel or cycle benefits our health, our wallets, and our local environment. We're delighted that Walk, Cycle, Live Stirling has now made these choices a reality for more people in the city.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
3 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Major update as Scottish university gets set to axe 300 full-time jobs
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) A TOP university has revealed a major update in its plan to axe 300 full-time jobs. Dundee University has now opened a voluntary redundancy scheme after coming up with an "alternative pathway" to solving the financial crisis at the institution. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 Around 300 roles will now be cut at the uni through a voluntary programme Credit: Alamy 3 Students and staff taking part in a rally and march in Dundee after the job cuts announcement Credit: PA In March, we told how the uni estimated that 700 staff would be affected by a devastating job cull required to balance its books. But under new proposals last month, around 300 roles will now be cut through a voluntary programme. The scheme was put together after talks with campus trade unions and approved by the university court. Voluntary redundancy was opened today and will run until July 25, The Courier reports. Staff who accept the deal will leave their jobs by September 30. A spokesperson added: "This is an important step in the recovery plan for the university, as we look to reduce staffing by 300 fulltime-equivalent through the voluntary scheme." The cuts were first revealed by interim principal Professor Shane O'Neill during a meeting, where he cited "the current financial crisis" as the reason behind the decision. Professor O'Neill had previously warned MSPs that the university could run out of cash by June without lifeline support. The Scottish Funding Council has since approved a £22 million emergency support package, and an investigation into the crisis has been launched. The uni has also lodged a full funding request for £100million bail-out. University Challenge contestant admits 'I don't understand the question' as they struggle to answer in quarter-final - but could you get it right? Labour MSP Michael Marra previously described the job losses as "devastating" for university staff and the Dundee economy. The job losses come amid an ongoing debate over university funding in Scotland. Critics argue that the Scottish Government's "free" tuition model is putting severe pressure on university finances, leading to limits on the number of Scottish students accepted onto courses since international students pay higher fees. Dundee is not the only university in Scotland to plan to cut jobs this year. Around 350 employees of the University of Edinburgh have accepted voluntary severance as part of ongoing efforts to reduce costs. And the University of the West of Scotland (UWS) plans to axe 75 jobs.
Daily Record
4 hours ago
- Daily Record
Work to begin on Stirling Council's first new primary school in 30 years
Corbiewood PS will serve the 800-home South Stirling Gateway housing estate, with completion for the project expected in time for the 2026/27 academic term. Building work is to begin on Stirling Council's first new primary school in almost 30 years. Ground will be broken on the new primary school serving the new major housing development at South Stirling Gateway in the coming weeks. Work on the site is due to begin in late June where a seven-classroom facility will be built in the heart of the development site by McLaughlin & Harvey. It is anticipated to be completed by the beginning of the 2026/27 academic term and will be followed by a four-classroom extension in 2033/34 depending on roll estimates. The new school will be constructed alongside external sports and landscaping and be linked to active travel routes to and from Bannockburn and its surrounding areas. Planning permission for the school was granted at the Planning and Regulation Panel in February. Pending approval from councillors, the new school will be named Corbiewood Primary School. It will be the first new school built within the Stirling Council area to support population growth since Newton Primary School in Dunblane opened its doors in 1996. Children and Young People Convener, Cllr Danny Gibson said: 'An exciting milestone in the South Stirling Gateway development has being reached with the appointment of a contractor to build this brand new primary school that will serve this emerging community. 'This modern, state of the art school epitomises Stirling Council's commitment to its ongoing investment in learning infrastructure for our children and young people and will help the new community to continue to thrive. 'Work will get underway shortly and we will keep local people updated throughout the construction. I can't wait to see the progress of the new school as it develops in tandem with the new housing development over the coming months and years. This is another sign that Stirling is continuing to flourish and grow.' Chris Boyle, Framework Director at McLaughlin & Harvey said: 'We are delighted to be delivering a new primary school for Stirling Council that will be at the heart of the South Stirling Gateway development. This project offers the chance for us to deliver a modern, exciting building, which can help achieve educational excellence. 'Our early partnership with the council, facilitated through the SCAPE Framework, has been the catalyst for designing a truly sustainable project within the agreed budget and timescales. We look forward to continuing our work with Stirling Council to construct a building which can inspire future generations of young people.' Children from South Stirling Gateway will be accommodated at Bannockburn Primary School while construction is underway and will initially feed into Bannockburn High School. The developers are in the first phase of housebuilding on the site following planning permission being granted in April 2024 for the first 150 homes. The South Stirling Gateway Development will deliver around new 800 homes with almost 200 allocated for affordable housing.
The National
7 hours ago
- The National
50,000 letters sent to minister over controversial Flamingo Land plans
More than 50,000 people have written to the Public Finance Minister, Ivan McKee, in just two weeks, demanding that the Scottish Government withdraw its approval for Flamingo Land's Loch Lomond mega-resort planning application. In September 2024, the Yorkshire-based theme park operator, Flamingo Land Ltd, had their planning permission in principle rejected after all 14 board members of the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs Planning Authority. However, the decision to reject the £40 million resort plans was overturned by a Scottish Government official last month, when the developers appealed the decision. READ MORE: More than £1m in funding announced for restoration projects for Scottish coastline The proposal for the resort includes plans for more than 100 holiday lodges, two hotels, a waterpark, a monorail, 372 car parking spaces, shops, and more on the site called Lomond Banks. According to the Scottish Greens, more than 50,000 people have used a portal on their website to call on the Scottish Government to overturn the decision and scrap the development. Greens MSP Ross Greer (below) said the public's opinion on the proposal, which is the most opposed in Scottish planning history with more than 155,000 individuals lodging objections, 'couldn't be clearer'. (Image: PA) He said: 'The Scottish Government has got this badly wrong. They are about to allow a greedy developer to trash the gateway to our National Park. It is not too late for a u-turn though. They can still save Loch Lomond. 'In just two weeks the Planning Minister has heard directly from over 50,000 people calling on him to block these proposals. Public opinion couldn't be clearer and it is backed up by experts including the Government's own environment watchdog. 'I have campaigned side by side with local residents in Balloch for nearly ten years now to stop Flamingo Land. At every stage we have won on the basis of the overwhelming evidence against their plans, but that has all now been overturned by the Scottish Government.' Organisations such as the National Trust for Scotland, the Woodland Trust, the Ramblers, and the Scottish Government environment watchdog, SEPA, also raised objections against the plans. Greer added: 'I do not understand why the Scottish Government are determined to cosy up to greedy theme park operators rather than protect Scotland's world famous natural heritage. 'It's time for Government Ministers to actually listen to the people of Scotland and save Loch Lomond.' The news comes after Scottish ministers refused planning permission for a trotting track for harness racing on the historic Bannockburn battlefield site. The Scottish Government ruled that the proposals would 'introduce new development and urbanisation in one of the few remaining undeveloped parts of the battlefield'. As such, it ruled the development 'would have a significant adverse effect on the character of the battlefield, its setting and sense of place'. The site is where in June 1314 Robert the Bruce and his Scottish army famously defeated English troops led by King Edward II. The Scottish Government has been approached for comment.
