Wheels keep on turning on Spean Bridge pathway plan
Hopes of having an active travel track between Spean Bridge and Leanachan Crossroads in place for this year’s UCI Mountain Bike Downhill World Championships in August may have had the brakes put on them.
But Transport Scotland has agreed to provide funding for the investigation and design of the legacy project in their 2023/24 active travel annual budget.
This would link in to the existing track to the south of the rail line along General Wades Military Road to Torlundy, or crossing the A82, and then along the Highbridge to Camisky Road.
It would also run alongside the road to Leanachan, which gives access to the whole forest area and in particular access to events at Nevis Range.
Transport Scotland’s Events Resilience Team were aware of the proposal for the Spean Bridge to the Leanachan Crossroad link, put forward by the local Connecting SpeanRoy Area SCIO, and were very keen to try and have the link put in place in time for the championships.
However, the detailed design has identified a number of issues which impact the time over which the scheme can be reasonably delivered.
In addition, a Road Safety Audit highlighted a number of issues that need to be addressed. While these issues can be resolved it will not be feasible to do so in time to allow construction in advance of the UCI Championships. Chairperson of the Connecting Spean-Roy Area SCIO, Linda Taylor, has received a letter from Transport Scotland outlining its disappointment at not being able to build the track in time.
Although sharing the disappointment, Linda is keen to point out that the construction of a safe access track from Spean Bridge to Leanachan Crossroads will provide a safe link in three directions that opens up access not only into Nevis Range and onwards into Fort William but will also allow people living on those routes safe access to facilities within Spean Bridge.
“Whilst the UCI event provides a spectacular example of the skills of highly-trained cycling athletes over a few days, a long-term legacy for the area from the event would bring something that everyone could benefit from,” she said.
“This legacy project brings to fruition one of the groups aims and, whilst an inevitable delay will slow the project, the objective of providing non motorised access for a safe route away from the busy A82 is something that should be celebrated.
“The group would like to thank Transport Scotland for taking on building such a vital transport artery.
“The Connecting Spean-Roy Area SCIO want to improve the ability to travel around Brae Lochaber and, in particular, to provide an active travel track between the villages of Roy Bridge and Spean Bridge.”
Although the plan to provide a safe route to visit the UCI event from Spean Bridge will be delayed, there will be a provision of the Park and Ride facility from Spean Bridge Brewery and a shuttle bus service for the championships will be available for the period of the event.