Aberdeenshire Council's Integrated Travel Towns Masterplan, which works to promote sustainability on transportation, has been awarded the 'Excellence in Walking, Public Realm and Cycling' at the Transport Times Scottish Transport Awards.

The Council has been working to improve travel opportunities in its towns by taking a focused approach to delivering the right infrastructure in the right place for the right group of people.

Towns which are designated as Integrated Travel Towns (ITTs) benefit through seeing work and funds concentrated on their development over a five-year period with community involvement at its heart.

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Chair of the Council's Infrastructure Services Committee, Peter Argyle said: "It's fantastic that Aberdeenshire's commitment to active travel through the work of the Integrated Travel Town project is being recognised with a national award.

"Promoting active lifestyles is one of the key priorities of the Council and the ITTs are a significant part of achieving this objective."

Vice Chair, John Cox, said: "Aberdeenshire is regularly shortlisted for the good work carried out on transportation projects and I'm pleased to see the work on the ITTs being recognised at the Scottish Transport Awards, given the difference it is making to our communities."

The first five towns to be designated as ITTs – Ellon, Fraserburgh, Huntly, Inverurie and Portlethen – are already delivering positive changes in travel behaviour, and as the project develops these travel behaviour changes will continue to be monitored.

(MH/JG)