A DETERMINATION TO encourage healthier and more sustainable methods of travel has been given the go-ahead by Councillors.
A five-year ‘active travel’ strategy lays out how the local authority aim to promote greater use of non-motorised travel for residents and visitors through greater use of cycling and walking.
The decision came at the final meeting of the economic development and infrastructure committee before May’s local council elections. A strategy has been developed after consultation with a wide range of interests, including health professionals, planners, transport organisations and sports groups.
In a statement released after the meeting a Council spokesman said: “The Scottish Government wants to see 10% of all journeys made by bicycle by 2020, by which stage it would like active travel to be the norm for all short journeys.
“The council’s economic development and infrastructure service committee heard today that Moray already had a good track record on active travel and had gone a considerable way in terms of providing the appropriate infrastructure in support.”
Funding will come almost entirely from external agencies and amounted to almost £1million in 2015/16 and a further £550,000 last year.