Plans for River Tay footbridge could go ahead

Nov 10 2009 by Les Stewart, Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A NEW £1 million-plus foot and cycle bridge over the River Tay, near Perth, has come a step closer.

Sustainable transport charity Sustrans and its Connect2 partners at Perth and Kinross Council have signed the paperwork that will guide the development for the coming years.

The agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding, confirms the partners’ continued commitment to the project and pledges £1.25 million from Sustrans' Connect2 lottery award to build the bridge.

In 2007, Sustrans' Connect2 won the TV vote to bring £50 million from the Big Lottery Fund to 79 communities across the UK to create networks for everyday journeys for people travelling by foot or bike.

At the moment, the nearest point for crossing the river is the busy and congested Perth Bridge, in the centre of the city.

The new bridge would encourage people to travel across the river, between Perth and Scone, on foot and by bike, making it easier for people to commute by sustainable means into Perth and also to get out to enjoy the surrounding countryside.

This scheme has been made possible through the enormous popular support for Sustrans' Connect2 – as voted for by the public in the UK's largest lottery competition in December, 2007.

Sustrans' Scotland director John Lauder said yesterday: “Once completed, this traffic-free bridge is going to be a real asset to the local community, enabling many more people to get around town in ways which are good for their health and that of the environment.”

Councillor George Hayton, Perth and Kinross Council's depute leader of the administration, said: “It is intended to improve facilities for sustainable transport, including making walking and cycling a more popular everyday way of getting into the city.’’