Buckie residents asked how best to spend £25k of active travel cash

by

Moray Council’s Active Travel team is looking for ideas from the Buckie community on how to spend £25,000 on cycle parking, cycle shelters, and repair stations in and around the area.

Ideas for the types of bicycle stands, cycle shelters and repair stations the community would like to see are being asked for. The aim is to encourage more residents and visitors to use active travel methods to get to school, work, shopping and for leisure activities.

Once the ideas are in, a community vote will take place between March and April to see which ideas are funded as part of a programme of participatory budgeting.

The council team working with the community and partners on the pilot project are holding informal information sessions this week and next.

  • 8 February: online meeting, 7-8pm. Contact ourchoices@moray.gov.uk to join.
  • 15 February: Buckie Library (Drop-In), 10-11.30am
  • 15 February: Buckie Swimming Pool (Drop-In), 12.30-2.30pm

Comments or suggestions can be made using the online form or via paper survey, which can be picked up from Buckie Swimming Pool, Slater Sports or Motion Fitness until 6pm on Sunday 5 March 2023, when the consultation closes.

Please email ourchoices@moray.gov.uk if you have any queries or would like more information.

Active travel means moving around using your own effort – by walking, cycling or wheeling (e.g. like a wheelchair, mobility aid, tricycle or a children’s push scooter). It includes everyday journeys like going to school, to the shops or to work, as well as for exercise or recreation. Active travel is good for individual health and wellbeing, it helps to reduce carbon emissions and traffic congestion and helps mitigate climate change.

Participatory Budgeting (PB) is a way for communities to directly vote on how money should be spent in their area. Ideas are generated about how a budget should be spent; ideas are then checked to make sure they’re feasible and meet the funding criteria; the local community votes for their favourite options; and the projects with the most votes get funded.