Talks on traffic and travel as part of project
Local residents interested in the future of transport and active travel in Rattray are being invited to have their say on a draft action plan which aims to tackle various issues raised by the community earlier this year.
The Sustaining Choices project, led by Planning Advice Scotland (PAS) and funded by Paths For All through the Smarter Choices, Smart Places programme, aims to help communities across Scotland address sustainable travel aspirations.
It is being led locally by Proactive Communities, officers from Perth and Kinross Council, and representatives from PAS, who held a series of online meetings in the spring to find out what transport issues members of the local community would like to see addressed.
A draft action plan highlighting areas of concern and nine actions that can be taken has now been drawn up and PAS is keen to hear the local community’s views on the proposals.
An online session will take place this
Thursday, August 5, at 7pm, where people can find out more and have their say.
The nine action points – which cover active travel, bus routes and road safety – have been identified as:
• Installing more bike storage facilities, particularly next to bus shelters;
• Installing signs for places of interest, cycle paths and walks;
• Exploring improvements to the town bus service;
• Providing better support for bus and bike connectivity, such as bus stop storage and on-bus bike storage;
• Offering essential cycling skills courses;
• Installing a town notice board for Rattray to share information;
• Installing more street benches;
• Making crossing the High Street easier and safer and making cycling and walking safer;
• Exploring extending the 20mph speed limit along the whole of the High Street.
Samantha Stewart, from Proactive Communities, explained: “Our community was chosen to participate in a project to help shape and improve transport options that work for everyone.
“As part of that we held a series of online meetings with members of the public, community groups and local stakeholders recently which identified a number of problems local residents experience.
“These included the narrow pavements in Rattray High Street, the gap between the two sections of the 20mph speed limit in Rattray and more regular bus journeys to Perth and Dundee.
“The feedback we had from those sessions has formed the basis of the draft action plan and the nine initial key action points.
“At the session this week we hope to finalise the action plan by discussing how and when those nine action points can be delivered, and by whom.
“Those at the sessions will also be asked to rank the action points in terms of priority.
“It is also hoped that the outcomes of the action plan will be taken into consideration when spatial planning and land use decisions are being made for the Rattray area.”
To find out more or for the link to join the meeting, email admin@ discoverblairgowrie.co.uk