Shared area plan

The first step has been taken to designate a pavement in Blairgowrie as a shared area for pedestrians and cyclists.

Councillors this week approved a start to the legal process of redetermining three sections of Elm Drive.

They were told the move would fill in a section of the Ardblair Trail, a cycling route developed by the council in and around Blairgowrie.

In a report, officers said further expansion of the trail would improve sustainable transport links to the community campus and high school.

The pavements on Elm Drive set to be redetermined are the south side from the junction with Walnut Grove southwestwards to the junction with Willow Place; the south side from the junction with Willow Place southwestwards to the junction with Maple Place and the southeast side from the junction with Maple Place southwestwards for a distance of 202 metres.

The report stated: “Approval will allow a start to be made to the formal procedure to create the traffic regulation order.

“This procedure will involve statutory consultation, preparation of a draft TRO and advertising in the press. This will provide an opportunity for additional comment to be made or objections to be raised.”

If the plan eventually goes ahead, those sections of Elm Road will have to be widened. Shared use can only go ahead on pavements of at least 2.5m in width while Elm Drive is currently just two metres.