Stornoway to Ness Cycle/Walking Route Feasibility Study David - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Stornoway to Ness Cycle/Walking Route Feasibility Study David Taylor, Technical Director URS, Inverness Presentation to Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Stornoway 17 th June 2015

Introduction • Background • Stakeholder Consultation • Route & Construction Options Considered • Costings • Preferred Option • Recommendation 2 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Background • URS appointed 31/10/14, Report delivered 30/03/15. • Scope: study & prelim. design of 44km all abilities cycle & walking route between Lews Castle Grounds and Lionel. • Consider existing and required support facilities. • Partnership project: CnES, SNH & SUSTRANS. • Funding: £12,500 CnES and £12,500 SUTRANS’ Community Links Programme. • Reason: Linkage to Hebridean Way Project. 3 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Stakeholder Consultation • Extensive consultation undertaken: • CnES Plannning, Environment,Technical Services • SEPA • SNH • SUSTRANS • Outer Hebrides Tourism • Galston Estate • Stornoway Trust • North Tolsta Community Council & Grazing Clerk • Ness Community Council 4 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Design Criteria • Route Options • Construction Options • Destinations • Preferred Option 5 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Design Criteria • SUSTRANS Guidance for NCN • 2.5m wide • Gradient < 5% • Shared –use • DDA compliant • Surfacing, SUSTRANS’ preference for asphalt • Consideration of emergency shelters • Loading; walkers, cyclists, maintenance vehicle 6 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered (Refer Fig. 1) • Route Options • Lews Castle Grounds to ‘Bridge to Nowhere’, existing infrastructure, improved infrastructure, off road, shared use. • ‘Bridge to Nowhere’ to Sgiogarstaigh, mix existing heritage walk and new coastal route. • Sgiogarstaigh to Lionel, existing infrastructure. 7 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Construction Options (across peat bog) • Boardwalk • Floating Road • Tyre Baling 8 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Construction Options (across peat bog) Board walk Floating Road Tyre Baling Benefit -Light easy to -Enhanced load -Recycled waste. build. capacity. -Low cost. -Does not effect -Proven technology. -Light/quick to install. ecology/hydrology. -Start of permanent - Recycled Plastic. fixed link. Dis- -Limited load -Significant impact -Limited use, benefit capacity. on peat bog. excavation in peat. -Components -Heavy machinery -Possible imported. for construction. contamination issues. - Technology less -Culverts required at -Stone upfill still proven. watercourses. required. 9 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Destinations , brief required examination of: • Links to key locations • Building route in sections/phases • This has led to consideration of existing and new ‘Destinations’ at 3-5 km intervals, considerations: • Users of route(DDA/children) • Safety/Communication • Funding/Construction Phasing • Other benefits i.e. tourism 10 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Destinations considered : Destination Location Fort/ Filiscleiter Chapel. Rebuilt Black House/Steading as safety Nr Laimhrig shelter with composting toilets Holiday Wigwams with safety shelter and composting toilet Nr Dhiobadail Possible Trout Fishing, Loch Langabhat Langabhat Possible Cliffs / Bird Hide/Trail (with RSPB) Cellar Head Bridge to Nowhere North Tolsta Tolsta Beach/Tolsta Head North Tolsta Gleann Tholoastaidh Picnic area Tholoastaidh Develop Beaches and toilet Gress Camping Area, Tunga Tunga Stornoway War Memorial N Stornoway 11 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Preferred Option, Fig.1 12 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Route & Construction Options Considered • Preferred Option Length Km Make-up, 2.5m wide Lionel to Sgiogarstaigh 2.7 Signage only Sgiogarstaigh to Peat Cutters Caravans 4.3 Upgrade existing track, whin dust finish Peat Cutters Caravans to Filiscleiter Chapel 1.0 Tyre Bailing/floating road, whin dust finish Filiscleiter Chapel to Loch Langabhat 3.0 Floating road, coastal route, whin dust finish Loch Langabhat to Dhiobadai 4.4 Boardwalk Dhiobadai to Bridge to Nowhere 3.1 Floating road/upgrade existing, whin dust finish To Bridge to Nowhere to Col 14.4 On road/verge, asphalt surface Col to Newmarket 7.6 Widen existing, asphalt finish Newmarket to Lews Castle Grounds 2.6 Existing improved infrastructure, asphalt finish 13 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Costings • Total Scheme Costs • Phased Costs • Reduced Costs • Contingency • Other Funding Mechanisms • Safe Routes to School (Back, Laxdale?) • Cost benefit analysis (construction v health, tourism & education) • Destination Partners i.e. RSPB coastal hide, Black House restoration as emergency shelter • Support infrastructure i.e. bus companies 14 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Costings • Construction Costs / Total Scheme Cost +Land / Accommodation works (5%), Professional fees (10%), Surveys (£100,000) & Contingency (15%). Asphalt Whindust Surfacing Mixed Option 1 All Boardwalk (2.5m) £7,935,989.74 £5,275,506.62 - Option 2 All Boardwalk (1.5m) £6,817,372.24 £4,156,889.12 - Option 3 All Floating road £8,781,935.43 £4,861,471.06 - Option 4 Preferred Option, Mix Boardwalk £8,399,651.25 £5,048,574.38 £6,815,110.63 /Floating (2.5m) £8,959,643.81 Option 5 Walking Route Option Mix £5,363,057.20 £3,158852.82 - Boardwalk /Floating (1.5m) • Phased Costs Year Section Cost Sections 6,5,4 & 3. 1 £ 244,972.22 Lews Castle to Bridge to Nowhere Sections 1 2 £ 910,507.09 Lionel to Filiscleitir Sections 2 3 £ 3,398,618.24 Filiscleitir to Bridge to Nowhere Full DDA Compliance 4 £ 2,261,013.09 Sections 6,5,4,3. Lews Castle to Bridge to Nowhere Construction Cost for all 4 years £ 6,815,100.63 + inflation 15 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Recommendations • Finalise and agree preferred route. • Finalise and agree design standards, construction types, user safety and maintenance. • Confirm total scheme costs with focus on phased option. • Consider funding mechanism. • Pursue ‘Destination’ options to benefit wider scheme. • Fix delivery programme. Continue 3 rd Party Consultation. • • Develop ‘Style Guide’ for identifying and marketing project. 16 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.

Recommendations Finally, a thought: Lets make this The Bridge to Somewhere? Thank you and Questions 17 COMPANY CONFIDENTIAL: Use this space for disclaimer if needed.