Two ambitious Sustrans Scotland Street Design projects have been announced as finalists at the 2019 International Healthy Streets Awards.

Funded by the Scottish Government, the projects also aim to make the spaces safer and easier to walk, cycle or wheel through.

Based in Aberdeen, Tilly-Wood Street Design Project has been shortlisted for The Healthy Streets Proposal of the Year Award, whilst the Stirling-based Raploch Street Design Project has been put forward for The Healthy Streets Community Project of the Year at the 2019 International Healthy Streets Awards.

Winners will be announced at a ceremony in Glasgow next month.

• Tilly-Wood Street Design Project (in partnership with Aberdeen City Council)

Located between Aberdeen city centre and the River Don, the neighbourhoods of Tillydrone and Woodside are areas of high social deprivation with longstanding challenges. However, they are also neighbourhoods with people who are desperate to see investment and positive changes to the area – making it easier and safer to travel between the two communities.  

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In partnership with Aberdeen City Council, Sustrans Scotland has been working with local residents to develop designs to improve the underpass and bridge linking the two communities. As well as this, they have come up with ways to reduce traffic speed and volume, and changes to improve the look and feel of both neighbourhoods.

More than 3,000 local residents have already engaged with the project team and once implemented, the proposals will help transform the area into a more distinctive and safer neighbourhood, which puts its residents at its heart.

• Raploch Street Design Project (in partnership with Stirling Council)

Raploch Road is a busy, car-dominated street in Stirling, which cuts through the centre of the Raploch neighbourhood. Delivered by Sustrans Scotland in partnership with Stirling Council, through their Work, Cycle Live Stirling programme, the project is working with the community to create a safer, calmer area which encourages greater social interaction, fosters stronger connections between residents.

A key part of Raploch Street Design involves working directly with the community to develop ideas for the space. Plans include changes to Raploch Road and Drip Road to prioritise people movement, improving accessibility and making it easier for locals to walk, cycle and wheel.

Since launching in September 2018, the project has been supported by the local community, resulting in the team receiving hundreds of comments and suggestions from residents, business owners, schools and community groups on how to better their neighbourhood. This detailed feedback allowed Sustrans' Street Design team to develop the local residents' ideas into designs showing a possible future for the community.