A contribution of £250,000 has been approved by the Highland Council in contribution to the Millburn Road Cycle Project.

The funds will be used to complete the £638,000 project in Inverness and will provide a safe cycle route between the city centre and Inverness Campus at Beechwood.

The additional funds will come from a £1m allowance made in the Council's capital programme for Carbon CLEVER projects.

The local authority's Transport, Environment and Community Services are currently examining a potential cycle route which will link to the city centre from the new Inverness Campus via the recently constructed A9 overbridge, Raigmore Housing Estate and Millburn Road. It would offer a significant enhancement to the east-west cycling corridor in Inverness, and enable a dedicated strategic cycle link to Raigmore, Inshes, and Cradlehall, as well as benefiting areas further afield.

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Some £387,000 of funding has already been secured from a number of sources including the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF), Sustrans, HITRANS, and contributions from developers through planning consents.

Commenting on the announcement, Committee Chairman Councillor Dave Fallows, said: "The route is designed to provide a safe and attractive environment for walkers and cyclists which encourages people to consider active travel as an alternative to car travel in order to reduce congestion, reduce pollution, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and encourage health benefits.

"The Council is currently working towards reducing the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases which are being released into the atmosphere through the Carbon CLEVER Initiative which has the target of a carbon neutral Inverness in a low carbon Highlands by the year 2025.

"Achieving this target will result in multiple benefits including less air pollution, healthier population, more accessible services, stimulated growth, improved infrastructure, and the Highlands will make a significant contribution to mitigate against climate change."

(JP/CD)