New path and footbridge to connect north and south Cupar gets decision
Walkers, cyclists and active travellers are soon set to get a brand new path and timber footbridge connecting the north and south of Cupar.
Sustainable Cupar, an environment-focussed local community group and registered charity, was given permission this week to build a new footbridge and pathway for active travel.
The “Cow Brae Link” – or “Red Route” – will connect Millgate in the north and Cow Brae to the south via a new active travel path for walkers, runners, cyclists and more.
“Direct cross-town routes are not currently possible for large parts of the town,” a planning statement said. “The proposal seeks to link the north west and southwest areas of Cupar, which are currently severed by two major barriers: the River Eden and the railway line.”
The town is currently only linked by the busy South Road (A914). However, Sustainable Cupar believes that this route “constrains pedestrian journeys” and presents “discouraging conditions” for cyclists due to the heavy road traffic along the route. That’s why the local community group wants to create “an active and sustainable travel alternative to South Road”.
The approved proposals will allow Sustainable Cupar to construct a new shared use foot and cycle path along the current informal path beneath the railway overbridge near Millgate.
It will create a “wider on-road network” along Westfield Road by implementing active travel signage, and it will continue along Mill Bank, Millgate, and Blalowan Park until it connects to the existing informal pathway underneath the railway underpass.
Immediately after the underpass, developers will build a new six-metre timber footbridge across the two-metre wide drainage burn that runs parallel to the railway line.
From there, the path will be built through the existing Mill Lade field to link the railway underpass to the stone ‘Cow Bridge’ across the Eden River and finally link into Cow Brae road – which will Developers continued: “The proposal will connect a significant combined population of approximately 5000, alongside providing an attractive active travel route across the town for the total population of approximately 9000.”
The ‘Red Route’ is the first stage of a network of active travel routes that will be designed to allow safe access to schools, town centre, hospital and leisure destinations throughout the town.