Perth and Kinross Countryside Trust (PKCT) has raised a formal planning application to create a new footpath and cycleway between Bridge of Earn and Aberargie.
The Pullar House-based charity wants to form the proposed active travel route along one side of the A912 in order to provide pedestrians and cyclists a safe route to travel back and forth between the two settlements and beyond.
Local politicians have backed the project but critics have previously raised concerns a planned reduction in the width of the road to accommodate the new route could put drivers at greater risk of colliding with oncoming traffic.
Almond and Earn wards councillors Kathleen Baird and David Illingworth publicly announced their support for the proposal last year with the latter remarking the change would be “a much-needed improvement” considering a cyclist was killed by a driver on the road in February 2020.
The pair aired their support for the new route after the PA reported the chair of Earn Community Council, John Bruce, questioned the wisdom of reducing the width of the road and the purported cost of the project during a public meeting a month earlier.
PKCT have now sent the local authority a formal application for consent to create the new route along with a design statement saying it considers there is “significant community support” for the project to go ahead.
It states: “The [proposed] route ... runs parallel and adjacent to the A912 for approximately 2.5km.
“The path is proposed to be sealed surface asphalt of width varying from 2.5m to over 3m.
“A buffer zone is proposed to separate the path users from the road, varying from 0.3m to 1.5m wide and is proposed to be seeded with a wildflower mix to improve biodiversity.
“The path will be cambered, with surface water runoff discharging to the adjacent fields and the A912, where a drainage system is proposed using combined kerb drainage units.
“There are existing drainage ditches in the adjacent fields and a new ditch is proposed where the topography requires.
“The existing road centreline will remain as is, with the south-east-bound traffic lane width being reduced to a constant 3.25m for the entirety of the route.
“Splayed kerbs are proposed on the north edge of the road and no white line channel line is required.”
The design statement concludes: “There is a need and desire in the both the community and wider Local Development Plan and Regional Transport Strategy for this section of the proposed active travel route.
“When finished, the route will bring social, economic and environmental benefit to the local community and increase safety for all users.”
The application is currently open to comments from the public and consultees.
