Improvements to three popular walking and cycle paths in Aberdeen will begin today.
The Buchan and Formartine Way, the Deeside Way and the paths in and around Hazlehead Woods will benefit from a £435,000 investment funded by proceeds from bus lane camera fines, transport charities and the Aberdeen city and shire transport partnership Nestrans.
The first site to benefit will be the Formartine and Buchan Way, with work starting on the trail from Dyce Railway Station to Parkhill Bridge over the A947 today.
The refurbishment will include the installation of new street lighting as well as resurfacing parts of the path itself.
Work on the Deeside Way, also known as the old railway line, will begin on January 19 at Culter and will be funded by by Sustrans Community Link and Nestrans.
The Culter improvements, which will take four weeks, will involve resurfacing the last part of the path, putting it in line with the rest of the track that stretches all the way to Duthie Park.
Lower Deeside ward councillor Marie Boulton said: “This will be a welcome addition, as a lot of residents have been waiting a long time for this end of the Deeside Way to be resurfaced like the rest of it.
“Plenty of walkers, cyclists and dog walkers use the path not just for exercise but often to get to work, so making it easier underfoot will be fantastic.”
The improvements to the paths and tracks around Hazlehead Park and woods will also begin on January 19.
Here the work will also include drainage to certain parts of the park that are often affected by flooding or boggy ground.
Ross Thomson, ward councillor for Hazlehead, said: “I myself, and those I know from the Friends of Hazlehead Park, are all delighted that we are finally taking our first steps to progress with the paths around the park.
“Getting out and about and being healthy, whether it be by cycling, running, or walking, is hugely important, and these improvements will allow these activities and more events like last year’s marathon to take place, so it’s great news all round.”