Getting Annandale Active

During 2018 and 2019, a number of public consultations were held in the Annan area to find out how the local community felt about their town centre. One of the main themes to emerge was about how to get around the area utilising active travel.

As result of these consultations Dumfries and Galloway Council submitted applications to Places for Everyone,an active travel infrastructure programme funded by the scottish Government and administered by Sustrans Scotland.

Our Council is delighted to announce that we have been successful in securing funding through Places for Everyone.

This funding will enable us to explore how active travel can be incorporated into Annan town centre and how we can link Gretna, Eastriggs, Annan and Powfoot to encourage more people to walk, wheeland cycle in Annandale.

The aim for Annan town centre is to encourage more people to walk, wheel and cycle for their everyday journeys,making car parking less dominant and more effective.The priorities include creating awalking, wheelingand cycling network, improving the high street pedestrian experience, and creating a parking strategy.

The Village Links project will connect Annan, Eastriggs, Gretna and Powfoot by extending theexisting cycle paths. There are also several core paths in the area which are used for walking, wheeling and cycling. By linking these with new paths, and upgrading some of the existing routes, this will allow safer travel for everyday journeys.

Consultants are now in place, and we will be holding community consultation events very soon. These will be your opportunity to have your say and put your ideas forward about getting around in Annan town centre, and how the villages of Gretna, Eastriggs, Annan and Powfoot should link up. To find out more and keep updated with developments in the projects please go to: https://www.dumgal.gov.uk/article/26757/Active-Annandale

Councillor Ian Caruthers, Chair of D&G Council’s Economy and Resources Committee said: “These are two exciting projects that will give our local communities a voice as to how we can improve getting about in Annan town centre and how to safely link Gretna, Eastriggs, Annan and Powfoot, to encourage more people to walk and cycle to work, become healthier, and enjoy our beautiful countryside.”

Ian Blake, Chair of the Council’s Communities Committee said: “This is the opportunity for the communities of Annan and the surrounding area to help shape the feasibility of what is possible in our towns. Our Council declared a Climate Emergency, and this continues to be a primary focus of what we do. We encourage all of our communities to cut down on car use, where possible, to result in a cleaner climate. The positive benefits of active travel not only impact on health and wellbeing but also reduces our carbon footprint and helps adapt to a low carbon approach.”

Connor Cross, Grant Manager at Sustrans Scotland, said: "We are pleased to be working with Dumfries and Galloway Council to make active travel in and around Annan town centre safer and more accessible for everyone, as well as imnproving connectivity within the region. We encourage everyone to put forward their views through this consultation to ensure the projects reflect the needs of the community and we create something that will be widely used and enjoyed. "