Putting new life into ‘Sleeping Giant’ path Underpass bid to connect with Loch Leven HeritageTrail
The search is on to secure funding to create a new, more accessible underpass to connect the ‘Sleeping Giant’ path in Fife to the Loch Leven Heritage Trail.
Sustainable transport charity Sustrans has made a provisional offer to fund 50 per cent of the estimated near £800,000 project but this depends on other groups committing to contribute the same amount.
A specially-formed stakeholder group has already asked Perth and Kinross Council to consider backing the project.
Members will be contacting several other potential funding partners before the end of this financial year.
These include The Rural Access Committee for Kinross-Shire (TRACKS), the Kinross-shire Partnership, Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Sustrans, the disabled charity Homelands TrustFife, RSPB Scotland and Kinross-shire councillor Willie Robertson.
Councillor Robertson commented: “We are most grateful for the provisional offer from Sustrans. However, their offer is dependent on sourcing £381,775 of match funding and completing the project this financial year, so it’s imperative that the remaining money is found in the next few months.
“We have written to PKC to ask for their support and are actively seeking other funding partners”.
PKC owns and maintains the current corrugated iron tunnel and steps, which are part of the Perth and Kinross Core Path Network.
The tunnel, which was constructed in 1982, can only be accessed by steep steps on either side of the B9097 road.
However, this is an obstacle for cyclists, families with pushchairs and less-mobile members of the public, while completely restricting access for wheelchair and mobility scooter users.
The proposed project aims to remove these access barriers by constructing a new underpass that would incorporate gentle slopes for wheelchair and mobility scooter users and provide unimpeded access for cyclists and families with young children in pushchairs.
The provisional offer of £381,775 through the Sustrans Community Links Award amounts to 50 per cent of the total project cost and has been a huge boost to the project.
Daisy Narayanan, Deputy Director (Built Environment) for Sustrans Scotland, said: “We are delighted to support this initiative to improve links to the National Cycle Network Routes at Loch Leven.
“This will allow safe and accessible walking and cycling across the path networks and link in better to the wonderful new Loch Leven Heritage Trail.
“Recent research by Sustrans has shown the economic value of leisure cycling on the National Cycle Network was worth £345m in 2015.
“We would hope that the project, if it goes ahead, would bring some of these benefits to Loch Leven as well as helping more visitors and staff to access RSPB Scotland Loch Leven by bike.”
Planning permission for the new underpass has already been approved by PKC and RSPB Scotland are acting as project coordinators on behalf of the stakeholders.
The charity will provide land, staff time, project management and administrative support to the project.
It has already raised £18,000 and has itself contributed £15,000 of its own funds for a feasibility study, design and site investigations.
Uwe Stoneman, site manager for RSPB Scotland’s Loch Leven nature reserve, said: “It would be wonderful to have easier access for families and other visitors from our visitor centre and from the sleeping giant path to the Heritage Trail.
“We have a good track record of assisting Above picture by Joe Lucas, Coatbridge. Below, herons feeding on the loch others to achieve ambitious projects, such as the two community trails that travel through our reserve. We hope that the underpass project is successful in achieving much better access between these trails and helps people of all abilities Cllr
Willie Robertson get closer to nature and improve their wellbeing.”
Funding is being sought from a number of other sources and there will be a project exhibition on July 7 for stakeholders and potential funders to find out more.