New walking and cycling route in Newton Mearns open
We've officially opened a new walking and cycling path along the rural section of Ayr Road, between North Hillhead Road and the M77 overbridge.
Published: 7 October 2022
A public consultation exercise in 2020 found that many users felt the section between North Hillhead Road and the Malletsheugh roundabout was not suitable.
The improvement works were split into two phases, with North Hillhead Road to the M77 overbridge in phase one, and an extension to Malletsheugh roundabout in phase two.
The 600 metre stretch of phase one is now complete and open to the public, and has delivered a considerably improved shared-use path. The path is now three metres wide and remains consistently on the same side of the road, with improvements to the side-road junctions also made to make them easier to cross.
The project was funded by Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), designed in collaboration with Mott MacDonald, and constructed by Maclay Civil Engineering.
Councillor Danny Devlin, Convener for Environment, said: 'The A77 corridor in Newton Mearns carries more cyclists than any other route in East Renfrewshire and is also very popular with walkers and runners, so I'm pleased to see these improvement works are now complete. The project will make journeys safer and more comfortable for people who already walk, wheel and cycle around the area, while also encouraging more people to use active travel for transport and leisure purposes.'
SPT Chair, Councillor Stephen Dornan said: 'SPT is delighted to support the Council through our capital programme funding to deliver active travel improvements on this key strategic transport corridor. By continuing to invest in walking, wheeling and cycling routes, this will encourage more people to travel in an environmentally-friendly way, be more active and will provide sustainable travel choices as an alternative to using cars.'
In early 2023, construction will begin on phase two, which will extend the route from the M77 overbridge to the Malletsheugh roundabout. This section will include high-quality Dutch-style separated cycle lanes, a new toucan crossing at Maidenhill, and a new design for the junction at Malletsheugh to make it easier for people walking, wheeling, and cycling to cross the road.
