ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL	ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES	7TH APRIL 2016
SUSTRANS COMMUNITY LINKS FUNDING BIDS 2016/17

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

Funding bids totaling £470,000 have been submitted to the Sustrans 2016/17 Community Links Programme by the Strategic Transportation Team. The deadline for bid submissions was Tuesday 16th February 2016. Sustrans will provide funding for up to 50% of the total cost of infrastructure that encourages increased levels of active travel, in particular walking and cycling.

Funding bids are prepared by the Strategic Transportation Team who consult with other Council departments including Roads Services to identify potential projects and submit bids. Ultimately it is Sustrans who decide which projects are awarded funding as the Community Links Programme is always oversubscribed therefore not all projects will be successful.

Following consultation with relevant Council teams funding bids for the following projects have been submitted to the 2016/17 Community Links Programme:-

Hermitage Park Walking and Cycling Links - £300,000;

Helensburgh and Lomond Cycleway - £100,000;

Letterdaill (Cairnbaan) Footway Community Link - £50,000;

Cycle Counter Upgrades - £20,000.

Where possible, projects that are awarded funding will be designed and constructed in-house by Argyll and Bute Council providing work for local Roads Services and Design teams. Sustrans will be undertaking site visits to Argyll on the 22nd March at which time Officers from Strategic Transportation will be able to promote the above projects to try and secure the maximum level of funding possible into Argyll. Following this a funding decision is expected by Sustrans on the 15th April 2016.

Argyll and Bute Council have a proven track record of working with Sustrans, local communities and funding partners to deliver new or upgraded infrastructure that encourages increased levels of walking and cycling. Such projects are good examples of partnership work which enables capital projects to be delivered in Argyll that bring both economic and wider health and community benefits.

In 2015/16 the Council secured in excess of £300,000 of funding from Sustrans to progress 4 footway projects. These include the final phase of the South Islay Distilleries Path which is a 5km remote cycle path connecting the villages of Port Ellen with Ardbeg in the south of the island. This project was managed by the Islay Community Access Group (ICAG) with support from Argyll and Bute Council and it was delivered following efforts to secure in excess of £700k of public and private sector funding.

Much of the investment in this path went back into the local community with a local contractor undertaking the construction work and building materials sourced locally where feasible. The path has proved extremely popular and was recently featured in an article in the Telegraph regarding the top 10 destinations in the Highlands and Islands to visit. Argyll and Bute Council have also nominated this project for a Scottish Transport Award and are awaiting confirmation if this has been shortlisted.

ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL	ENVIRONMENT, DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE COMMITTEE
DEVELOPMENT AND INFRASTRUCTURE SERVICES	7TH APRIL 2016
Sustrans Community Links Funding Bids 2016/17

INTRODUCTION

2.1	Funding bids totaling £470,000 have been submitted to the Sustrans 2016/17 Community Links Programme by the Strategic Transportation Team.

2.2	Sustrans Community Links Programme is grant funding for the creation of infrastructure that enables more people to walk and cycle for everyday journeys. The programme is funded through Transport Scotland’s Sustainable Transport Team and is a key component in the delivery of the vison set out in the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS) that “By 2020, 10% of everyday journeys taken in Scotland will be by bike.”

2.3	The Strategic Transportation Team have worked closely with other Council departments and local stakeholders to identify potential projects and prepare funding bids.

2.4	Sustrans will only fund up to 50% of total project costs and, as such, it is essential that sufficient match funding is identified prior to bids being submitted.

RECOMMENDATIONS

This report is for noting.

DETAIL

4.1	Based on work undertaken to date, availability of match funding and consultation with Council Officers and local stakeholders, funding bids for the following projects have been submitted to the Sustrans 2016/17 Community Links Programme:-

Hermitage Park Walking and Cycling Links - £300,000 – Project to upgrade the path network within Hermitage Park as part of the wider regeneration project which has secured Heritage Lottery Funding. The existing paths within the park are in very poor condition and are not suitable to encourage increased levels of walking and cycling. The proposed project will provide a network of 2.5m wide, surfaced, shared use footpaths through the park with associated street lighting and upgraded drainage. This will greatly improve opportunities for promoting active travel in Helensburgh given the parks proximity to the Town Centre, local schools, public transport hubs and existing cycle routes along the A818 and A814 corridors. Match funding for this project is considered to be the Heritage Lottery funding secured for the wider regeneration of Hermitage Park.

Letterdaill Footway Community Link- £50,000 – project to complete missing link in local footway network between Letterdaill and Crinan Canal towpath at Lock 8. This project will be designed and constructed by Roads Services using available verge space. This project will address a significant gap in the local footway network and will when completed will serve approximately 80 residential properties. Total project cost estimated at £100k and it is anticipated that Scottish Government Cycling Walking Safer Streets (CWSS) funding will be used as 50% match.

Helensburgh and Lomond Cycleway - £100,000 – this project will deliver a missing section of cycleway at Ardardan (subject to securing land and funding required). A funding application has also been submitted to SPT’s 2016/17 Capital Programme to provide 50% match funding and the total project cost is anticipated to be £200,000. Land negotiations are being currently progressed by Argyll and Bute Council’s Estates team.

Cycle Counter Upgrade - £20,000 – Project to upgrade Argyll and Bute Council’s network of walking and cycling counters to a system which enables data to be collected remotely. The existing counters require site visits to be undertaken to collect data and replace batteries. Given the geographic spread of counters it is difficult and costly for the Council to monitor these manually and the new system will enable data to be collected remotely using General Packet Radio Service data. Total project cost £40,000 and 50% match funding will be provided via Scottish Government Smarter Choices Smarter Places (SCSP) funding.

Fionnphort Village Hall Community Link – TBC – The Council are supporting the Mull and Iona Community Trust (MICT) in securing funding to develop a path link between the village of Fionnphort and Creich Hall. MICT are the project lead and intend to apply for LEADER funding for 50% of project costs. This follows on from design work and land negotiations undertaken in 2015/16 and subject to securing adequate funding it is intended that this will be a phased project over a number of financial years. The design and land negotiations are not currently advanced enough to enable a funding application to be submitted to this round of Community Links however, there might be the opportunity to submit an application later in the financial year if funding becomes available and, as such, we continue to assist MICT with this and have advised Sustrans of our support for the project (anticipated cost for phase 1 based on design work to date £107,500).

4.2	Applications for capital grant funding are generally only made for projects that are either located on land owned by the Council or where land negotiations are at an advanced stage as in the past funding has had to be returned due to issues securing third party land. In addition, we try to ensure that new or upgraded infrastructure is, where possible, included within existing maintenance regime areas, such as adopted roads as there is no grant funding available for maintenance and paths will quickly deteriorate when routine maintenance is not being undertaken.

4.3	In addition to the above, the Scottish Government have recently confirmed that they propose allocating up to £80,500 of Smarter Choices Smarter Places (SCSP) funding to Argyll and Bute Council in 2016/17. This is revenue funding to encourage behavior change and it cannot be used to fund capital projects however it can be used to fund work such as feasibility studies, design work, signage and mapping projects.

4.4	The Council are also awaiting confirmation from the Scottish Government of their 2016/17 Cycling Walking Safer Streets (CWSS) grant funding allocation and we anticipate this being in line with previous years (£90k - £130k). CWSS funding can be used for capital works and it is intended to use a proportion of this funding to match Sustrans Community Links funding bids (e.g. Letterdaill footway).

4.5	It is unlikely that all the funding bids submitted will be successful as the Community Links Programme is generally oversubscribed however, the Strategic Transportation Team will be undertaking site visits with Sustrans Community Links Officers on the 22nd March to promote our proposed projects and attempt to lever the maximum funding possible into Argyll.

4.6	A funding decision is expected by Sustrans on the 15th April 2015 and all successful projects will require to be completed by 31st March 2016 to be eligible for grant funding.

4.7	Argyll and Bute Council have a proven track record of working with Sustrans, local communities and funding partners to deliver new or upgraded infrastructure that encourages increased levels of walking and cycling. Such projects are good examples of partnership work which enables capital projects to be delivered in Argyll that bring both economic and wider health and community benefits.

In 2015/16 the Council secured in excess of £300,000 of funding from Sustrans to progress 4 footway projects. These include the final phase of the South Islay Distilleries Path which is a 5km remote cycle path connecting the villages of Port Ellen with Ardbeg in the south of the island. This project was managed by the Islay Community Access Group (ICAG) with support from Argyll and Bute Council and it was delivered following efforts to secure in excess of £700k of public and private sector funding.

Much of the investment in this path went back into the local community with a local contractor undertaking the construction work and building materials sourced locally where feasible. The path has proved extremely popular and was recently featured in an article in the Telegraph regarding the top 10 destinations in the Highlands and Islands to visit. Argyll and Bute Council have also nominated this project for a Scottish Transport Award and are awaiting confirmation if this has been shortlisted.

In addition to the Islay Distilleries Path project, the following funding was also awarded to Argyll and Bute Council from Sustrans 2015/16 Community Links Programme;-

Helensburgh & Lomond Cycleway - £25,000. Awarded to match fund £175,000 contribution from SPT’s Capital Programme. This was to progress a section of the cycleway connecting Station Road and Ferry Road in Cardross.

A815 Sandhaven to Invereck Footway - £220,000. Project to construct a footway linking Sandhaven and Invereck and remove a gap in the footway network.

Fionnphort Village Hall Link - £20,000. This project was originally awarded funding to construct a path linking the village hall to Fionnphort however, the funding was downturned due to land negotiations. The £20k has enabled feasibility work and land negotiations to be progressed.

Islay Distilleries Path Phase 4 Surfacing - £60,000 – Final phase of the project, involved installing an innovative slurry seal surface to the path which links Port Ellen and Ardbeg.

CONCLUSION

5.1	Funding bids totaling £470,000 have been submitted to the Sustrans 2016/17 Community Links Programme by the Strategic Transportation Team. Projects have been identified following consultation with other Council Departments and external stakeholders.

5.2	A funding decision is expected by Sustrans on the 15th April 2015 and all successful projects will require to be completed by 31st March 2016.

IMPLICATIONS

6.1	Policy	Projects are consistent with local and national transportation policy to encourage increased levels of active travel.
6.2	Financial	Projects will be 100% funded by external grants and there is the opportunity for works to be undertaken by Argyll and Bute Council’s Roads and Design Services providing work for local teams.
6.3	Legal	Land searches and negotiations with third party land owners may be required.
6.4	HR	None
6.5	Equalities	All projects require to be DDA compliant.
6.6	Risk	Completing projects within budget and funding deadlines and securing any third party land required.
6.7	Customer Services	None

Pippa Milne, Executive Director of Development and Infrastructure Services

Alistair MacDougall, Policy Lead Transportation

14th March 2016

For further information contact:

Jonathan Welch (Transport Planner)

jonathan.welch@argyll-bute.gov.uk, Tel:-01546 604329