A new section of footway and cycleway on the A96

**PLEASE NOTE, CONSULTATION FOR THIS PROJECT HAS NOW CLOSED.  FURTHER INFORMATION WILL BE SHARED LATER THIS YEAR**

BEAR Scotland was commissioned by Transport Scotland to undertake a review of the cycle facilities on A96 near Lhanbryde, Moray. This followed concerns raised by a local resident over cycle safety on the Fochabers to Lhanbryde cycleway. It was highlighted that a section with a length of 750m is incomplete, and requires cyclists to travel on the carriageway of the A96 trunk road.

The Project

BEAR Scotland was commissioned by Transport Scotland to undertake a review of the cycle facilities on A96 near Lhanbryde, Moray. This followed concerns raised by a local resident over cycle safety on the Fochabers to Lhanbryde cycleway. It was highlighted that a section with a length of 750m is incomplete, and requires cyclists to travel on the carriageway of the A96 trunk road.

Following a review of the existing facilities and consideration of a number of solutions to address the concerns raised, a proposal to provide improvements along this route has been developed.

The proposal, shown below, utilises the existing cycle facility within the north verge of the A96 from Fochabers, through Mosstodloch, to the Wester Marchfield junction, where an improved crossing is proposed. The route will then follow the lightly trafficked local road for approximately 2km to the Loch Oire junction. At this point a new shared footway/cycleway within the south verge will be provided connecting users with the café and garden centre facilities. The new shared footway/cycleway then continues along the south verge to the Loch Na Bo junction where a new crossing point will be provided. A new shared footway/cycleway will then run along the north verge, connecting to the existing footway at Lhanbryde, where the facility re-joins the existing local road network.

The two proposed A96 road crossings will be designed and developed in accordance with current guidance, please see the below for an example of the proposed crossings.

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The total length of the new shared footway/cycleway is approximately 750m excluding the local road. The new provision will introduce a 2m wide shared footway/cycleway set back from the mainline by either a verge or road markings and a coloured surface. This will run from Loch Oire junction through to the existing facility at Lhanbryde. The new facility will also promote pedestrian and cyclist access to the Threaplands Café and Garden Centre.

The proposed work is expected to commence in the summer.

Traffic management will be in place on the A96 during construction of the project to help ensure roadworkers as well as road users are kept safe, however our teams will work to ensure any disruption is kept to a minimum.

Have Your Say

BEAR Scotland and Transport Scotland welcome any comments or feedback about the proposed project. Feedback can be submitted via;

• An online feedback form here.
• Email at A96Lhanbryde-FootwayCycleway@BEARScotland.co.uk
• Telephone on 01738 448 600 citing reference ‘A96 Lhanbryde Cycleway Project’.

The deadline for all feedback is 5pm on Monday 14 June.