Two Tunnels Project News
Posted: Fri Nov 07, 2008 3:59 pm
From the Bristol Evening Post
Hundreds of thousands of pounds is set to be spent on opening up two historic tunnels in the Bath area as a four-mile cycling and walking network.
Work on the groundbreaking scheme linking Bath with Midford is likely to start early in the new year after council chiefs agreed to splash ú400,000 on the project.
Bristol-based environment charity Sustrans won a lottery grant for the Two Tunnels Project last December, but the four-mile scheme has been on hold while the organisation awaited decisions from the council over extra funding.
Now a senior councillor has signalled his formal agreement to a ú400,000 contribution to the ambitious project over the next four years.
The decision to spend the cash by transport councillor Charles Gerrish means work to create a new cycle route and footpath along an old rail trackway linking Bath and Midford is likely to begin early next year.
The announcement ends months of the uncertainty for the wide base of supporters of the project, which has already secured ú1 million of lottery funding.
The lottery boost came via Sustrans' national ú50 million Connect2 package û voted for by the public in the UK's largest lottery competition last December.
But the group is also celebrating an extra ú150,000 windfall created by the sale of more than 70 life-size pig statues at a charity auction last week.
An online auction of 35 extra pigs is currently ongoing at www.kingbladudspigs.org/auction and will close on November 15.
Frank Tompson, chair of the Two Tunnels Group, which has worked with the council and Sustrans, said: "We have been waiting for this decision for some time now and wish to thank the council for becoming a full partner in the project.
"With the Two Tunnels Group, Sustrans and B&NES Council now working together, we can really get going with a great project to serve the people of Bath and the surrounding area.
"We also wish to give a huge thank-you to everyone involved in the King Bladud Pigs project, volunteers, sponsors and buyers, for the fantastic financial contribution they have made to ensuring the path becomes a reality.
"The role they have played will become part of the heart and soul of the path that people will remember for years to come."
Subject to seeing a satisfactory full business case and financial plan from scheme co-ordinator Sustrans and an annual review of B&NES's transport capital spending, the council has agreed to contribute ú100,000 in each of the financial years 2008/09 and 2009/10.
Similar amounts have also been earmarked over the following two.
Gitte Dawson, who organised King Bladud's Pigs in Bath and is a key member of the Two Tunnels group, said a contractual agreement now has to be hammered out.
Then Sustrans, the Bristol-based sustainable transport charity which will be responsible for project management and the building of the path, intends to begin work early next year.
The four-mile "shared use" path will see the renovation of an old viaduct and the opening-up of the two tunnels, one of which is more than a mile long. A support group for the Two Tunnels route boasts more than 500 members, who say the virtually flat route will become a major attraction for both local people and tourists alike.
Although project organisers are delighted with the substantial progress they have made, they are still calling on individuals and organisations help close any funding gaps
Mrs Dawson said: "Once the contractual agreement is sorted, we can start work and we are hoping that will be as early as January. But we still need help in our fundraising campaign." More details at www.twotunnels.org.uk and www.sustransconnect2.org.uk.
Hundreds of thousands of pounds is set to be spent on opening up two historic tunnels in the Bath area as a four-mile cycling and walking network.
Work on the groundbreaking scheme linking Bath with Midford is likely to start early in the new year after council chiefs agreed to splash ú400,000 on the project.
Bristol-based environment charity Sustrans won a lottery grant for the Two Tunnels Project last December, but the four-mile scheme has been on hold while the organisation awaited decisions from the council over extra funding.
Now a senior councillor has signalled his formal agreement to a ú400,000 contribution to the ambitious project over the next four years.
The decision to spend the cash by transport councillor Charles Gerrish means work to create a new cycle route and footpath along an old rail trackway linking Bath and Midford is likely to begin early next year.
The announcement ends months of the uncertainty for the wide base of supporters of the project, which has already secured ú1 million of lottery funding.
The lottery boost came via Sustrans' national ú50 million Connect2 package û voted for by the public in the UK's largest lottery competition last December.
But the group is also celebrating an extra ú150,000 windfall created by the sale of more than 70 life-size pig statues at a charity auction last week.
An online auction of 35 extra pigs is currently ongoing at www.kingbladudspigs.org/auction and will close on November 15.
Frank Tompson, chair of the Two Tunnels Group, which has worked with the council and Sustrans, said: "We have been waiting for this decision for some time now and wish to thank the council for becoming a full partner in the project.
"With the Two Tunnels Group, Sustrans and B&NES Council now working together, we can really get going with a great project to serve the people of Bath and the surrounding area.
"We also wish to give a huge thank-you to everyone involved in the King Bladud Pigs project, volunteers, sponsors and buyers, for the fantastic financial contribution they have made to ensuring the path becomes a reality.
"The role they have played will become part of the heart and soul of the path that people will remember for years to come."
Subject to seeing a satisfactory full business case and financial plan from scheme co-ordinator Sustrans and an annual review of B&NES's transport capital spending, the council has agreed to contribute ú100,000 in each of the financial years 2008/09 and 2009/10.
Similar amounts have also been earmarked over the following two.
Gitte Dawson, who organised King Bladud's Pigs in Bath and is a key member of the Two Tunnels group, said a contractual agreement now has to be hammered out.
Then Sustrans, the Bristol-based sustainable transport charity which will be responsible for project management and the building of the path, intends to begin work early next year.
The four-mile "shared use" path will see the renovation of an old viaduct and the opening-up of the two tunnels, one of which is more than a mile long. A support group for the Two Tunnels route boasts more than 500 members, who say the virtually flat route will become a major attraction for both local people and tourists alike.
Although project organisers are delighted with the substantial progress they have made, they are still calling on individuals and organisations help close any funding gaps
Mrs Dawson said: "Once the contractual agreement is sorted, we can start work and we are hoping that will be as early as January. But we still need help in our fundraising campaign." More details at www.twotunnels.org.uk and www.sustransconnect2.org.uk.