South Ayrshire Council News

Celebrating the opening of the new cycle path

Marr College students have been celebrating the completion of a new section of a local cycle route that they will be able to use to get to and from school. The opening coincided with one of their Enterprise Week events, 'The Benefit of Bikes'.

The new cycle route runs from Kilmarnock Road in Barassie to Dundonald Road in Troon, providing an off road area for people to cycle or walk.

During Marr College Enterprise Week at a seminar will be held for students about the benefits of cycling to and from school and the importance of route planning skills. Cycling Scotland donated cycle pedometers, that show the speed and distance a cyclist has travelled, so that the students could keep a record of their travels.

Councillor Peter Convery, South Ayrshire Council's Portfolio Carrier for Sustainability and Environment issues said: "Students from Marr College in Troon are being given the opportunity to take a fun and healthy route to school with the new cycle path. The location of the path makes it an ideal route for many Marr College students and employees to cycle or walk to and from work.

"I understand that it is not possible for everyone to cycle to school, but I would encourage people to give it a go. Cycling is a great way of exercising and a very enjoyable way to travel. By choosing to cycle to and from school instead of travelling by car students will be helping to reduce carbon emissions and protect our environment.

"The Council is committed to sustainable transport and this new stretch of the cycle network is adding to the wide range of paths already available. South Ayrshire has a reputation for great cycle paths, and it follows on the from the construction of other new sections including the Burton to Alloway path in Ayr, for which the Council won a National Transport Award in 2007,and new developments in Prestwick and Girvan."

The new cycle path in Troon was designed by sustainable transport consultancy Transport Planning and Engineering (TP&E), who are Cycling Scotland's social enterprise consultancy, specialising in the design of cycle routes and infrastructure and funded by a grant from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport.