A recently completed programme of town centre improvements in Milngavie have been nominated for a prestigious 2009 Scottish Transport Award.

East Dunbartonshire Council's work installing new street furniture, tourist signage and retail directory boards, the refurbishment of Station Road underpass and the West Highland Way archway comprise the suite of projects which have been recognised by the awards in the category of 'Walking and Public Realm'.

Now in its seventh year, the Scottish Transport Awards recognise innovation, integration, effective partnership-working and tangible results across the transportation industry; Milngavie Town Centre is up against competition from Glasgow City Council and Renfrewshire Council in its category.

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Councillor Billy Hendry, Convener of the Development and Infrastructure Committee, said: "We are proud to be shortlisted for this award. We have worked hard on improvements and amenity in the town centre and it all builds a sense of civic pride for the local people.

"Not only do projects such as these make the town centres more attractive to the existing users of the town centres, they also help attract new visitors and that can only be good for increasing trade and provide economic stimulus to these towns and their traders."

Over the summer, Milngavie Town Centre has benefited from the installation of new stainless steel seats and benches, new and improved bins and a programme of signage improvements in the town centre, including new retail directory boards.

Milngavie's Station Road Underpass, which acts as a pedestrian link between the train station and the town centre, has been transformed at a cost of £85,000, following a programme of works which included improved paving, feature lighting, improved signage and new cladding.

The famous West Highland Way mural, which runs along the interior of the underpass, has also been refurbished after the original artist was tracked down to carry out the work.

The Scottish Transport Awards take place on Thursday at 29th October at Glasgow’s SAS Radisson Hotel.

(GK/BMcC)