By Lucy Ashton
Jackie Baillie has welcomed more than half a million pounds of Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) funding for local travel projects across Dumbarton, Balloch, the Vale of Leven, Helensburgh and Lomond over the coming year.
The projects include £50,000 for a park and ride facility at Balloch station and £290,000 for cycle routes across Helensburgh and Lomond including in Rosneath.
The cash investment also involves improvements which will benefit local bus services throughout Ms Baillie’s Dumbarton constituency.
It is part of SPT’s 2023/24 Capital Plan with the organisation working in partnership with councils and other authorities to deliver the projects.
Jackie Baillie, left, said: “I am pleased that there is set to be investment to the tune of almost £565,000 which will benefit residents across my constituency.
“Bus services in particular are a lifeline to the communities across West Dunbartonshire, Helensburgh and Lomond and significant funding to improve these is welcomed.
“It is imperative, given the climate emergency that sustainable travel is improved so I am pleased that there is an emphasis on improving cycle paths as well as encouraging people to use the train to get to and from Balloch. Perhaps we will finally see the cycle path from Cardross to Helensburgh, which has been on the cards for more than 20 years, realised.”
The projects which have received funding are:
- £50,000 for A814 congestion reduction measures
- £50,000 for Balloch Station park and ride
- £150,000 for bus infrastructure improvements
- £25,000 for bus infrastructure upgrades within the Helensburgh area;
- £90,000 for the Helensburgh and Lomond cycleways;
- £200,000 for the Rosneath cyclepath.
Further funding for these projects over the next three financial years by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport has also been identified. The funding is part of a wider announcement of £14.5 million of grant investment this year for transport improvements across the Strathclyde area.
Top picture: There is nearly £300,000 for cyclepaths in Helensburgh, Lomond and Rosneath.