What walking, cycling and public transport facilities do we need?

Whoever you are, wherever you live, transport is an essential part of daily life. This can be a challenge in rural communities, where distances needed to travel are usually further. While most here have access to a car (over 85% of Kilmadock households in the 2011 census), not everyone does. With net-zero ambitions and prices rising at the pumps, the option to not drive has perhaps never been more important. 

But what walking, cycling and public transport facilities are needed locally? Doune and Deanston is one of six communities looking to answer this question through the Sustaining Choices project this year. The project is an initiative of PAS (Planning Aid Scotland); a charity and social enterprise that helps people to navigate the planning system. The project has been made possible thanks to Paths for All’s Smarter Choices Smarter Places fund and Forth Valley LEADER. Our local partner is the development trust and some volunteers, after community councillors saw the call for study areas earlier in the year. 

The aim is to create a local action plan to improve walking, cycling and public transport facilities, that compliments the wide-ranging Community Plan being created (see here). 

We need your help in working out what could be improved where. What are your experiences (good, bad or different) of walking, cycling and public transport locally? How could they be improved? What’s missing or something innovative you would like to see?

To answer these questions we’re putting together a short survey (online and on paper). There will also be events over summer (on Zoom and in person) to discuss ideas in more detail. When the results have been collected and analysed, there will be an event in autumn presenting the results and deciding on best ways forward. 

For details of the survey or events, either:

• keep an eye on Facebook or at www.DouneAndDeanston.com/plan
• look out for posters locally 
• contact Neil at Kilmadock Development Trust, via the Information Centre