Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath Progress Report
Argyll and Bute Council · 9 September 2025
Back to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee — 9 September 2025 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 09 September 2025 Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath Progress Report 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1. This report updates Members on the progress made since the previous report to this Committee on 11 March 2025 in relation to the delivery of a high quality walking and cycle route linking Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton. 1.2. Phase 1 & 2: Officers have worked closely with staff from the design consultants, Connected Transport Planning (CTP), to engage with landowners to re-introduce the project and seek agreement to undertake necessary surveys. Following securing the agreement of landowners the necessary ecological and topographical surveys commenced in mid-August. This will enable progress to be made to develop the designs in discussion with the landowners. 1.3. Phase 1 & 2: As appropriate due diligence, following survey data collection the route options will be reviewed by CTP staff to ensure the alignment being developed remains the most deliverable and attractive option. 1.4. Phase 3: Civic Engineers (CE) have completed the Concept Design for Phase 3 of the project as part of the Helensburgh Town East project (Appendix 2). Subject to securing funding it is proposed to tender for a design team to progress the design of Phase 3 through the final developed and technical design stages. 1.5. Funding: Officers have submitted an application to the highly competitive Transport Scotland Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) Tier 2 challenge fund to enable work to progress in 25/26. A new application will require to be made in late 25/26 for the next financial year, 26/27, as ATIF funding is only awarded for a single financial year. RECOMMENDATIONS 1.6. It is recommended that the Helensburgh and Lomond members: 1.6.1. Welcome the positive engagement with landowners in Phases 1 & 2. 1.6.2. Approve the draft Phase 3 (Helensburgh Town) Concept Design (Appendix 2). 1.6.3. Instruct Officers, subject to securing external funding and suitable tender returns, to seek to appoint a design team to complete development of Phase 3 designs through Developed Design and Technical Design stages.
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1.6.4. Instruct Officers to submit application to the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) Tier 2 to enable work to continue in the next financial year. 1.6.5. Work to identify potential sources of construction match funding, estimated to require a minimum of £3M to complete the route. 1.6.6. Instruct Roads and Infrastructure Service to adopt all sections of the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath once constructed, including those not contiguous with an adopted road, and maintain as part of the Council Roads Asset Management Plan (RAMP).
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 09 September 2025 Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath Progress Report 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1. This report updates Members on the progress made since the previous report to this Committee on 11 March 2025 in relation to the delivery of a high quality walking and cycle route linking Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton. 2.2. Full details of the project, including previous progress is available in the project update reports previously presented to this Committee. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1. It is recommended that the Helensburgh and Lomond members: 3.1.1. Welcome the positive engagement with landowners in Phases 1 & 2. 3.1.2. Approve the draft Phase 3 (Helensburgh Town) Concept Design (Appendix 2). 3.1.3. Instruct Officers, subject to securing external funding and suitable tender returns, to seek to appoint a design team to complete development of Phase 3 designs through Developed Design and Technical Design stages. 3.1.4. Instruct Officers to submit application to the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) Tier 2 to enable work to continue in the next financial year. 3.1.5. Work to identify potential sources of construction match funding, estimated to require a minimum of £3M to complete the route. 3.1.6. Instruct Roads and Infrastructure Service to adopt all sections of the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath once constructed, including those not contiguous with an adopted road, and maintain as part of the Council Roads Asset Management Plan (RAMP). 4.0 DETAIL 4.1. The Council’s Active Travel Team, 1.7 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) employees, is part of the Strategic Transport Team within the Development and Economic Growth Service. No Council funding is currently received by the Active Travel Team. All project costs, including internal staff costs, have to be funded via successfully securing highly competitive external challenge funds.
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4.2. In 2024/25 the Active Travel Team secured £1.4M external funding for the development and delivery of a total of 16 projects across Argyll and Bute, including the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath. This required 19 separate competitive funding applications to 6 separate funds. Funding 4.3. The primary external fund for active travel infrastructure in Scotland is now the Transport Scotland controlled Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF) Tier 2 fund. It is a competitive challenge fund, with every project developed by the 32 local authorities, 7 regional transport partnerships and two national parks across Scotland competing against each other for the limited funding available. Due to the number of projects being developed across Scotland applications to ATIF will be highly competitive. 4.4. Transport Scotland have confirmed that ATIF Tier 2 funding will continue to follow the same 8–stage design and delivery process as the previous PFE Programme. The project stages are (0) Strategic Definition, (1) Preparation and Brief, (2) Concept Design), (3) Developed Design, (4) Technical Design, (5) Construction, (6) Handover & Close Out, and (7) In Use. 4.5. Officers have applied to Transport Scotland’s 25/25 ATIF Tier 2 fund to enable design work to continue to complete Developed and Technical design for all sections of the project. While Transport Scotland had stated they aimed to confirm 25/26 funding awards by April 2025, at time of writing no ATIF design project funding has been confirmed for any project across Scotland. At time of writing, Transport Scotland have informally indicated they now aim to confirm funding awards in late-summer. Match Funding 4.6. The application guidance for the Transport Scotland Active Travel Infrastructure Fund Tier 2 for construction ready projects states that all projects submitted for construction funding will require to provide match funding of up to of 30% of the total construction cost from non-Transport Scotland derived sources. 4.7. While full construction costs are still to be determined, based on similar projects elsewhere it is recommended Members identify construction match funding of at least £3M to complete the cyclepath. 4.8. Phasing construction over a number of financial years will reduce the level of match funding the Council must secure each financial year, however this will result in a longer construction programme. Accelerating the construction programme will most likely require additional match funding to be secured, from internal and/or external sources, which could prove challenging given the current economic climate. 4.9. At present no construction match funding has been secured. It is likely to be beneficial to the project if sources of construction match funding could be secured
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at an early stage, including consideration of any internal Council funds which could be allocated to the delivery of this priority project. Landowner Engagement 4.10. Landowner investigation for Phase 1 (Moss Road, Colgrain to Cardross) has identified the land is held by 5 landowners. Phase 2 (Ferry Road, Cardross to Dumbarton) has a total of 6 landowners identified. 4.11. Engagement with landowners along the route has historically been driven by progress with design work which has resulted in an irregular pattern of landowner contact. It is understood that, particularly over the long timeline this project has been in development, irregular contact can result in uncertainty around the Council’s intentions and likelihood of the project progressing. This is compounded by the limitations and uncertainty in the single year funding model. It is intended that, with the appointment of the CTP to complete the design work, more regular contact with landowners will be maintained as the design is progressed. CTP have to date supported landowner relationship development in advance of project funding becoming available to support a more effective and continuous dialog. 4.12. Officers and CTP staff have met in person with all 11 identified landowners directly impacted by the route to discuss the project and the necessary non-invasive ecological and topographical surveys. All of the landowners met have agreed to allow the ecological and topographical surveys on their land on the understanding of a more collaborative design approach will be adopted going forward. One of the landowners who has agreed to allow the surveys has restricted their agreement to surveys only considering the historic alignment of Phase 1 adjacent to the A814. 4.13. A further 5 adjacent landowners have been written to requesting permission to undertake the necessary ecology surveys as their land is within the 200m ecological buffer from the identified route. At time of writing 2 adjacent landowners have replied, both positively. 4.14. Following the successful conversations with the landowners, CTPs specialist sub- contractors commenced the ecology and topographical surveys in mid-August. The initial surveys are due to be completed in early September, with some ecology surveys continuing until spring 2026. 4.15. It is planned to continue dialogue with landowners and to meet with landowners again following completion of the surveys to inform route preference and to refine and develop design options. Design Phase 1 Colgrain to Cardross & Phase 2 Cardross to Dumbarton 4.16. Following securing the agreement of landowners the non-invasive ecology and topographical surveys commenced in mid-August. The initial surveys are due to be completed in early September, with some ecology surveys continuing until
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spring 2026. Completion of these surveys will enable progress to be made to develop the designs in cooperation with the landowners. 4.17. Following review of the draft designs developed by WSP, a number of delivery challenges have been identified within the designs. As part of the design developed a review of the deliverability of each section of the proposed route and appropriate alternatives will be undertake to ensure the route developed is the most deliverable. Therefore, there is a risk of some variation to the proposed route but this can only be determined post survey. 4.18. Continued progress with this work is reliant on securing necessary funding to pay design costs. Phase 3 Helensburgh Town 4.19. Civic Engineers (CE) have completed the Concept Design for Phase 3 of the project as part of the Helensburgh Town East project. The draft Concept Design report is provided in Appendix 2. 4.20. The Concept Design included engagement with the community and other key stakeholders, with the preferred route identified as following the A814 East Clyde Street and aligned to the design requirements in Cycle by Design (Transport Scotland, 2021) which are one of the criteria to be able to competitively bid for ATIF funding to enable this phase of the project to be progressed through the remaining design stages. 4.21. Subject to securing external funding it is proposed Officers undertake a tender exercise to appoint a design team to progress the Phase 3 design through the final Developed and Technical design stages during the next 2 years. Land Acquisition 4.22. Previous discussions with landowners have confirmed they wish to provide the least land practical to deliver the path. As such, progression of land acquisition requires designs to be further developed in order to firmly identify the necessary land. Once the design process has been completed, the Council’s Estates Team will be engaged to progress land acquisition. Construction Cardross Rail Station to Geilston Burn 4.23. Cardross Rail Station to Geilston Burn. The Council’s Roads and Infrastructure Service have completed most elements of the cyclepath through Cardross Park, with only a small amount of fencing still to be installed. It is expected that the costs for the remaining fencing work will require to be covered from as yet to be identified internal Council budgets.
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4.24. To protect the public, the bridge over the Geilston Burn will remain fenced off until access is agreed to land on the west side of the Burn to construct the path through to an accessible destination. Maintenance 4.25. It is a requirement of the external funders that a written maintenance plan including confirmation of how this will be funded and delivered is developed as part of the design process. As such, Members require to decide how the future maintenance of the cyclepath, including sections of route already in place, will be delivered. At present, the Council does not receive any funding for the maintenance of cyclepaths and none of the current external funding sources secured through competitive bidding for active travel include maintenance as an eligible cost. This anomaly has been repeatedly raised by Officers with Transport Scotland Officials and it is recognised to be inconsistent with the Scottish Government’s commitments regarding capital funding for active travel projects. 4.26. Officers have suggested routine maintenance of the cyclepath as a potential role for local community group volunteers, for example cutting back vegetation / mowing the grass. Similar maintenance work is undertaken by community groups for cyclepaths in other locations. However, this suggestion has, to date, not been positively received by the community. As such, Members require to consider alternative options for the long-term maintenance of the path. 4.27. The Roads and Infrastructure Service are the single service within the Council which includes infrastructure maintenance teams appropriately trained and qualified to undertake maintenance of cyclepaths. While it is acknowledged these teams are already near capacity delivering the Roads and Infrastructure Service commitments and that the Roads and Infrastructure Service has previously stated they do not wish to adopt sections of cyclepath remote from the public road, as the only service within the Council with the appropriate teams to maintain a cyclepath, it is recommended that Members instruct Roads and Infrastructure Service to adopt every section of the cyclepath as it is constructed including those sections remote from the public road. Programme 4.28. Appendix 1 provides the current programme of the key stages and forecast timescales for each section of the Phase 1: Helensburgh to Cardross section of the Cyclepath; Phase 2: Cardross to Dumbarton; and, Phase 3: Helensburgh: Hermitage Academy to Town Centre. 4.29. Due to the delay in securing funding in 25/26, the design work is now forecast to complete at end of 26/27. This is not forecast to impact on the overall project completion date. Risk 4.30. Risk refers to events which have not yet happened but which could impact on the project if they were to happen. A risk can be negative or positive to the project.
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Risks are identified through the lifetime of the project and, where possible, mitigation is planned to minimise negative impacts or maximise positive impacts. As risks evolve relatively slowly through the lifetime of a project, it is not expect that the tables below will alter significantly within the current stage of work. 4.31. Project risks relate to risks which could affect the overall project. Table 1 provides the top 5 identified project risks and planned mitigation. Table: Selected Project Risks Risk Risk Description Risk Impact Mitigation Land access Inability to secure agreement for temporary access to land required to undertake surveys. High 1. Positively engage with landowners to seek voluntary access agreements. 2. Consideration of Council’s statutory powers if necessary. Land acquisition Inability to secure agreement for land required within an acceptable timescale and cost. High 1. Engagement with landowners to gain acceptance of design. 2. Use of Council’s Estates Team to lead land acquisition. 3. Consideration of option of a CPO. Programme Inability to meet challenging programme timeline. High 1. Regular review of programme. 2. Work with key stakeholders to understand programme drivers and barriers. 3. Establish realistic timescales for each package of work. Funding Inability to secure necessary funding to pay of either (a) design work; and/or, (b) construction costs. Medium 1. Engagement with external funder(s) to ensure project meets their design and funding requirements. 2. Review funding options regularly to ensure funding sought/secured is most appropriate to the project. 3. Early engagement with Members to identify potential sources of construction match funding. Community support Loss of community support for the project. Low 1. Consult community on key design decisions at appropriate time. 2. Seek to deliver project which meets community’s key requirements. 3. Keep community informed via project updates at appropriate times, including area committee reports. 4.32. Design risk refers to risk that the design fail to meet the required standards and/or design conditions imposed by external factors, for example environmental requirements. Design risks, if allowed to occur, can become issues which may mean the project design has to be changed, which can cause delays and cost increases. Defects or failures in the design can also result in an increase in future maintenance costs. Table 1 provides the top 5 identified design risks and planned mitigation. Table 2: Selected Design Risks Risk Risk Description Risk Impact Mitigation
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Ecological Impacts Working adjacent to the Inner Clyde SSSI and RAMSAR site results in additional ecological requirements which the designs must meet. High 1. Engage with regulators, e.g. NatureScot, at early stage in design. 2. Undertake comprehensive ecological surveys to inform design. 3. Develop full Habitat Regulations Appraisal to ensure ecological requirements taken into account in design. Proximity to railway The majority of the route is in proximity to the live railway and requires to ensure the designs do not negatively impact on the railway. High 1. Early engagement with Network Rail to understand their safety and operational requirements. 2. Seek to agree ‘standard’ approach to mitigating safety and operation requirements which can be applied to all or most of route. 3. Review of designs to ensure railway safety and operational risk is mitigated appropriately. Ground Conditions Lack of Ground Investigation (GI) limits understanding of the ground conditions the route will be constructed over. High 1. Design route to be as robust as practicable. 2. Undertake Ground Investigation works at earliest practicable date. Drainage The design will require to cater for run-off and drainage, while satisfying regulatory requirements. Medium 1. Develop drainage designs through design process. 2. Engage with regulators, e.g. SEPA, at early stage in design. 3. Engage with landowners, as repository of knowledge of existing conditions, during design development. Flood Risk The route is close to and, in locations, within areas identified as at risk from 1 in 200 year flood events. Medium 1. Develop flood risk assessment at early stage in design process to identify key areas of risk. 2. Keep flood risk assessment under review through design process. 3. Design of cyclepath to take account of flood risk where appropriate. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1. Completion of the Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath will provide a dedicated, high quality, accessible walking and cycle route linking Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton. This route will provide opportunities for all in the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton corridor to travel more sustainably and actively by walking and cycling. This will provide a safe alternative to having to use a private car to travel between these communities and help lower Argyll and Bute’s carbon footprint. Funding for these works has been secured from our key active travel partners with further bids being developed to enable the design and construction of further sections of the cycleway as and when land acquisition has been concluded. 5.2. The delivery of the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath is dependent on completing the design work, securing highly competitive external challenge
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funding, committing appropriate match funding and securing access to private land for the route. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1. Policy Completion of this project will support the Council’s Outcomes Improvement Plan outcomes 1: Transport Infrastructure and 3: Community Wellbeing. The project also supports achievement of the Scottish Government’s objectives set out in the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS) and Let’s Get Scotland Walking - The National Walking Strategy. 6.2. Financial The design, construction and land purchase will be funded by external competitive funding applications. External funding is not currently available to cover maintenance costs. To date, the Council has not contributed any funding to design or capital costs. There is strong evidence that people who are more active, for example by walking or cycling, have been physical and mental health and are less likely to require social care services in later life which could result in a future saving to the Council or HSCP. 6.3. Legal Continued input will be required from Legal Services to support contractual agreements and land purchase including a CPO should this be deemed necessary. 6.4. HR None. 6.5. Customer Service None. 6.6. Risk There is a reputational risk to the Council if the project is not completed within a reasonable timeframe. 6.7. Climate Change Active Travel is the least carbon intensive mode of travel. Providing the opportunity for residents and visitors to consider an alternative to having to use a private car to travel between these communities will help lower Argyll and Bute’s carbon footprint. 6.8. Fairer Scotland Duty The route, once completed, will offer residents and visitors the opportunity to choose to travel actively, which is lower cost than alternative modes of transport. The route will also improve access to essential services, retail, leisure and employment opportunities for residents living along the route, thereby increasing opportunities to reduce socio-economic disadvantage.
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6.9. Equalities Completion of this project will provide opportunities for all in the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton corridor to travel more sustainably and actively by walking, wheeling and cycling. The route has been designed to be DDA compliant and will provide a safe and accessible route for those with mobility aids including wheelchairs and parents/guardians with a child’s pram or buggy. 6.10. Socio-economic Duty The route, once completed, will offer residents the opportunity to choose to travel using active travel, which are lower cost than alternative modes of transport. The route will also improve access to essential services, retail, leisure and employment opportunities for residents living along the route, with studies demonstrating those who travelled actively had a higher monthly spend in local businesses than those who travel via motorised transport. The path will also offer opportunities for individuals to travel for leisure, again encouraging spend in local businesses along and connected by the route. 6.11. Islands Communities There are no adverse impacts. 6.12. The Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Active travel is the most accessible mode of travel to young people, as it does not have any minimum age limits, does not require any form of licence, is free to use and is not tied to any fixed timetable. All new active travel infrastructure is designed to be utilised by an unaccompanied 12 year old. Engagement feedback demonstrates even stronger support for the delivery of the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath from younger members of the community than the already high overall level of community support. Wider engagement with school pupils indicates that the vast majority of pupils strongly support the provision of new active travel infrastructure, even where it would adversely impact other modes of transport. Kirsty Flanagan Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth Policy Lead: Cllr John Armour 26 August 2025
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For further information contact: Colin Young Strategic Transportation Delivery Officer Colin.Young@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1: Helensburgh, Cardross & Dumbarton Cyclepath Programme Appendix 2: Helensburgh Town East, Concept Design