A step closer to a new cycling and walking bridge for Perth

In 2007 Sustrans' Connect2 won the TV vote to bring £50million from the Big Lottery Fund to 79 communities across the UK to create networks for everyday journeys for people travelling by bike or foot. And one such project has moved a step closer to completion.

Local people came out in force to support plans to link Perth to Scone by an attractive new foot and cycle bridge over the River Tay. And Sustrans and its Connect2 partners at Perth and Kinross Council will sign the paperwork that will guide the development for the coming years.

This agreement, a Memorandum of Understanding, confirms partners continued commitment to the project and pledges £1.25 million from Sustrans' Connect2 lottery award to build the bridge

At the moment the nearest point for crossing the river is the busy and congested Perth Bridge, in the centre of Perth. The proposed bridge would encourage people to travel across the river between Perth and Scone on foot and by bike, making it easier for people to commute by sustainable means into Perth and also to get out to enjoy the surrounding countryside.

This scheme has been made possible through the enormous popular support for Sustrans' Connect2 - as voted for by the public in the UK's largest lottery competition in December 2007. Communities across the nation - including Perth - voted en masse for Sustrans' Connect2 to win the TV vote to bring £50million from the Big Lottery Fund to create 79 walking and cycling networks for everyday journeys across the UK.

Sustrans' Scotland Director John Lauder said: "Once completed, this traffic-free bridge is going to be a real asset to the local community, enabling many more people to get around town in ways which are good for their health and that of the environment."

And Cllr George Hayton, Perth & Kinross Council's Depute Leader of the Administration, added: "This is a significant scheme for Perth and the surrounding area as it is intended to improve facilities for sustainable transport, including making walking and cycling a more popular everyday way of getting into the city.

"We will be working closely with Sustrans and the local community with the aim of delivering these improvements."