Funding to kick start smarter choices projects

Orkney Islands Council has been awarded £100,000 from a national pot of £900,000 to help expand its smarter and sustainable travel initiative, Kick Start Kirkwall, to the rest of Orkney.

The funding boost adds to the £800,000 awarded to OIC in 2008 for a package of projects aimed at encouraging both residents and visitors to Kirkwall to reduce their car use in favour of more sustainable modes of travel.

Since it began, Kick Start Kirkwall has created or improved 16 fully-accessible walking paths and new cycle paths in Kirkwall, including the path around the Peedie Sea.

It has also delivered a range of educational and community-based programmes such as personalised travel planning, cycle training and health promotion in schools, and ‘Walking for Health’ groups.