Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath Update
Argyll and Bute Council · 14 March 2023
Back to Helensburgh & Lomond Area Committee — 14 March 2023 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 14 March 2023 Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath Update 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1. This report updates Members on the progress made since the previous report to the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee on 13 December 2022 in relation to the delivery of a dedicated, high quality walking and cycle route linking Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton. 1.2. Officers have approved five (5) change requests from WSP, resulting in a cost increase of £28,538.97, taking the total cost of WSPs work to £253,427.96. This additional cost can be accommodated within the secured external funding. 1.3. WSP have recommenced their work package and have confirmed their work will be finished no later than 31 March 2023. 1.4. Subsequent to WSPs work, Officers are working to identify further elements which will require to be undertaken during summer 2023 to complete the design package required for construction. This includes ground investigation (GI) surveys, ecology surveys which can only be undertaken during summer months, a quality review of the design work undertaken by WSP and submission of planning application and related statutory permissions. 1.5. Following completion of the full design package, the Council’s Estates Team will lead the land acquisition process with landowners in order to secure the land necessary to construct the designed route. 1.6. While funding has been secured to complete the design stages of the project; based on current funding models, to pay for construction of the route further competitive applications will be required to a range of programmes including the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) Capital Programme and the Transport Scotland Places for Everyone (PFE) Programme, administered by Sustrans. The PFE Programme requires a minimum of 30% of total construction costs are secured from other, non-Transport Scotland derived, sources. 1.7. Officers are currently tendering for a design consultancy to identify the preferred route linking the existing cyclepath at Morrisons Supermarket/Hermitage Academy to Helensburgh Town Centre and the new section of segregated cycleway under construction at Helensburgh Waterfront, and to develop the preferred route to concept design stage. It is expected this work will commence
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in May 2023 and be completed in financial year 2023/24. This work is being funded via a successful competitive application to Transport Scotland’s PFE Programme. RECOMMENDATIONS 1.8. It is recommended that the Helensburgh and Lomond members: 1.8.1. Note the agreement of five change requests from WSP at an additional cost of £28,538.97, taking the total cost of WSPs work to £253,427.96. This additional cost is covered by externally secured funding. 1.8.2. Welcome the progress made by WSP towards completing their work package by 31 March 2023. 1.8.3. Note that some elements of work will require to be completed separately during summer 2023 to finalise the full package required for construction. 1.8.4. Note the current tender exercise for a design consultant to commence work on the section of route linking Morrisons Supermarket to Helensburgh Town Centre/Waterfront.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 14 March 2023 Helensburgh, Cardross and Dumbarton Cyclepath Update 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1. This report updates Members of the progress made since the Helensburgh and Lomond Area Committee on 13 December 2022 in relation to the delivery of a dedicated, 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. Note the agreement of five change requests from WSP at an additional cost of £28,538.97, taking the total cost of WSPs work to £253,427.96. This additional cost is covered by externally secured funding. 3.1.2. Welcome the progress made by WSP towards completing their work package by 31 March 2023. 3.1.3. Note that some elements of work will require to be completed separately during summer 2023 to finalise the full package required for construction. 3.1.4. Note the current tender exercise for a design consultant to commence work on the section of route linking Morrisons Supermarket to Helensburgh Town Centre/Waterfront. 4.0 DETAIL Finances 4.1. Design (Phase 1 Colgrain to Cardross & Phase 2 Cardross to Dumbarton). Officers have approved five (5) change requests from WSP, resulting in a cost increase of £28,538.97, taking the total cost of WSPs work to £253,427.96. This additional cost can be accommodated within the externally secured funding for this work. Funding for the design development has been secured from the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT) Capital Programme and Transport Scotland’s Places for Everyone (PFE) programme. The Transport Scotland PFE programme, funded by the Scottish Government, is a highly competitive
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challenge fund which requires projects to closely comply with the ever evolving design requirements set by the paid administrators of the funding, Sustrans. 4.2. Design (Phase 3 Helensburgh Town). Officers are currently tendering for a design consultancy to identify the preferred route linking Morrisons Supermarket/Hermitage Academy to Helensburgh Town Centre and the new section of segregated cycleway under construction at Helensburgh Waterfront, and to develop the preferred route to concept design stage. It is expected this work will commence in May 2023 and be completed in financial year 2023/24. This work is being funded via a successful competitive application to the Transport Scotland PFE Programme. Funding has been secured from the SPT Capital Programme and Transport Scotland’s highly competitive challenge fund PFE programme. This funding will be used to engage an external design consultant to lead on community engagement, preferred route identification and concept design. Future stages of work will be subject to Officers successfully securing future competitive challenge funding. 4.3. Construction (Cardross Rail Station to Geilston Burn). Costs for the final works in Cardross Park to complete the section linking Cardross Rail Station to the Geilston Burn have been paid to the Council’s Roads and Infrastructure Service. These costs were secured from the SPT Capital Programme and the Scottish Government’s Cycling, Walking and Safer Routes (CWSR) fund. 4.4. Match Funding. Transport Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, administered by Sustrans, requires a minimum of 30% of total construction cost is secured by the Council from alternative, non-Transport Scotland derived, sources. As this requirements placed upon the project by the Places for Everyone funding criteria and additional demands of Sustrans PFE Officers around elements of the design result in a high-quality, expensive to construct, design the 30% construction match funding requirement is forecast to be in excess of £2M. 4.5. The Council’s Active Travel Team (1.7 FTE) 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. Design 4.6. Transport Scotland’s Places for Everyone funding programme, administered by Sustrans, is structured around 8 project stages with a competitive challenge fund submission for the next stage(s) of funding which require approval from the Sustrans Project Board at the end of Stage 2 (Concept Design) and Stage 4 (Technical Design) to progress to the next stage. 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.
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4.7. Phase 1 & 2 Technical Design (stage 4) engineering design has been commenced by WSP in line with their programme to complete their work on the design by 31 March 2023. This work package includes further landowner engagement with regard to design detail. Subsequent to WSPs work further elements which will require to be undertaken during summer 2023 to complete the design package required for construction. This includes ground investigation (GI) surveys, ecology surveys which can only be undertaken during summer months, a quality review of the design work undertaken by WSP and submission of planning application and related statutory permissions. 4.8. Phase 3 (Helensburgh Town) Concept Design (stage 0 – 2) will commence on completion of the procurement exercise required to appoint a design consultant. This is for the initial design stages of route identification and concept design, and will include significant community engagement to ensure the route links the most appropriate locations and best serve community needs. Construction (stage 5): Cardross Station to Geilston Burn 4.9. The Council’s Roads Operations team have completed work in the Cardross Park including fencing, bollards and signage. This completes work on the Cardross Park side of the Geilston Burn. To protect the public, the bridge over the Geilston Burn has been fenced off until access is agreed to further land on the west side of the Burn to construct the path through to an accessible destination. Programme 4.10. 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. 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 construction of further sections of the cycleway following completion of design work and as and when land acquisition has been concluded. 5.2. The delivery of the Helensburgh – Cardross – Dumbarton Cyclepath is dependent on securing highly competitive external challenge funding, committing appropriate match funding and securing access to private land for the route.
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6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1. Policy Completion of this project will support the Council’s SOA outcomes 2: We have infrastructure that supports sustainable growth and 5: People live active, healthier and independent lives. 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. 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. Fairer Scotland Duty: 6.5.1 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. 6.5.2 Socio- economic Duty 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. 6.5.3 Islands There are no adverse impacts. 6.6. 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. 6.7. Risk There is a reputational risk to the Council if the project is not completed within a reasonable timeframe.
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6.8. Customer Services None. Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth: Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead: Cllr Andrew Kain 13 February 2023 For further information contact: Colin Young Strategic Transportation Delivery Officer Colin.Young@argyll-bute.gov.uk Tel: 01546 604275 Appendix 1: Helensburgh, Cardross & Dumbarton Cyclepath Programme