Work will start on 24 January to provide a safer and more attractive environment for people walking and cycling to Lochgilphead.

The £500, 000 investment includes improvements to Colchester Square and Argyll Street, and will help support local businesses by encouraging more people to visit the town centre. 

Footways will be widened and resurfaced using Achnaba greenstone, sourced from a local quarry.

Other improvements include:                                       

• Improved road crossings
• New cycle parking in the town centre
• More space for pedestrians
• Improved surfaces for anyone with mobility challenges, wheelchair users and prams

The project is fully funded by The Scottish Government’s Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes Fund (CWSR), HITRANS and Transport Scotland’s Spaces for People fund, managed by SUSTRANS. Argyll and Bute Council will manage the overall project.

Construction and outdoor work is permitted under the Scottish Government’s current restrictions.

Councillor Alastair Redman, Policy Lead for Business, Regeneration and Commercial Development:

“We are delighted to have secured external funding to help improve pedestrian and cycle facilities in the town centre of Lochgilphead. It is vital that we build for a better future, especially following the impact of the pandemic on our local economy,

Improving the lives of our communities and creating natural spaces that encourage people to walk or cycle to help support local businesses, is a critical part of recovery and part of a wider economic regeneration programme across Argyll and Bute.

We look forward to welcoming everyone back to our towns and high streets when it is safe to do so. We hope in the meantime, our communities will see the long-term benefits of the improvement works”

Vehicle access to Colchester Square and the lower part of Argyll Street will close from 24 January until early April.

Access will be maintained to properties and businesses at all times and every effort will be made to minimise disruption.  Allowances will be made for delivery vehicles to commercial premises.

Commenting on the investment Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron said:

“This is a very welcome announcement indeed, particularly at a time like this.

“As we come out of the other side of the Covid-19 pandemic, we need to instil confidence in the future, and investing in improvements to the local infrastructure is a very good way of doing that.

“Our communities take a great pride in their towns and villages so I’m sure this will be greatly appreciated by local people.”