5000 CYCLISTS RIDE FAREWELL TO CURRENT AIRDRIE-BATHGATE CYCLE PATH
Tuesday September 23, 2008
On Sunday 14 September around 5000 people cycled the 47.5 miles between Glasgow and Edinburgh for the 10th annual Pedal for Scotland event.
A section of Scotland's biggest annual bike ride took cyclists along the cycle path between Airdrie and Caldercruix for the last time in its present location. Closing on 19 October this year, the old railway solum on which the path was built, will be transformed once again into an operational passenger railway.
The good news for cyclists is that over £7.3million is being invested to relocate the existing cycle path (a section of National Cycle Network Route 75) as part of the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link Project and to integrate it with stations along the route.
The new, relocated cycle path will open in December 2010 at the same time as the rail link.
Hugh Wark, Senior Project Manager on the Airdrie-Bathgate Rail Link Project at Network Rail said:
“We recognise the importance of this public path route to cyclists and to local communities which is why a significant part of this project involves the relocation of the cycle route.
“We are very much looking forward to the opening of the new cycle path at the end of 2010 when we hope to see an even greater number of people using this key section of the National Cycle Network.”
ENDS
For information regarding Pedal for Scotland visit: http://pedalforscotland.org/
For information on the National Cycle Network visit: www.sustrans.org.uk