The Hebridean community Iochdar is on track for a new community pathway project that will make village travel safer for everyone.
Right now, pupils, prams and other pedestrians share the same roads as buses, bikes and busy tourists.
But the Iochdar Community Council is spearheading a grassroots movement to better connect all the village hubs.
The project will add bus stops to help pupils get on and off the bus safely, construct a shared use path for biking and walking and add safe pathways to connect all of the main village hubs.
Villagers are in support of the project and proud of their team of local volunteer councillors for taking the initiative.
Why the need for the Iochdar community pathway?
For years, village residents have known that the busy road through the heart of the village was unsafe for biking and walking. Yet travellers, including pupils, have no other option than to share the road with the cars and buses.
“Accidents and near-misses are a recurring issue on the road.”
In the project documents, local councillors spell out clearly the issues that face the community.
“The route is very exposed in places. Where crossing, the verges are extremely narrow with water on both sides of the road.
“There are no safe places to wait for buses, pupils stand on the road waiting for the bus and get off the bus straight on to the road.
“In places the route has tight corners and blind summits with poor visibility.
“Accidents and near-misses are a recurring issue on the road.”
That’s why the council is raising money and community awareness to build the Iochdar community pathway, which will provide safe, alternative walking and cycling routes away from the main roads.
Although there are many aspects to the project, councillor Anne Bird said the basic goal is simple: “If we can make it safe for people to walk around the village, so that children can actually walk or cycle to school without putting their lives at risk, then it’s job done as far as we’re concerned.”
How do the villagers feel?
Community surveys and feedback from the project’s consultation sessions show widespread local support for the project.
“It’s a good thing that the community council are putting together a plan to invest in a path, to make it much safer for students to get in and out.”
Neil Johnstone, who has a child at the primary school, said that the project can’t come soon enough.
“It’ll benefit both the students and the community. In the morning, the kids come to school and they’re on foot at half-past eight. And the cars are speeding by them, and there are no footpaths for them at all.
“It’s very dangerous.
“It’s a good thing that the community council are putting together a plan to invest in a path, to make it much safer for students to get in and out, as well as linking the school to the shops as well and helping everybody.”
Another resident, Anne Evans, said that she is excited about everything she has seen in the council’s plans.
“From what I’ve seen, I think it’s excellent. I think it’s going to be an awful lot safer for young and old alike using the roads.
“I think it’s going to make life so much safer, and I think in a lot of ways it’s going to encourage people to get out and walk more. They won’t need to be afraid of big lorries and cars and so forth.”
A demonstration of what communities can do
Ms Bird said that the pathway project illustrates the power of a community banding together for a common goal.
Before 2016, there hadn’t been a community council in the village for years. But a group of residents joined together and started looking at ways they could improve the village.
Ms Bird said: “It became clear very early on that if we wanted change we had to effect change ourselves.
“It’s turned into a way to demonstrate what community councils can achieve if they just work together and think outside the box a little bit.”
How can you help?
The project is nearing the final stages of the planning process. You can contribute to the project via a funding page.
You can also visit the online consultation boards to attend two question-and-answer sessions, scheduled for Wednesday, June 23 from 6-8 pm and Saturday, June 26 from 12-2 pm.
The council has already secured funding from the Sustrans Places for Everyone scheme to pay for the planning. Now, more funding is needed to pay for the work of the project itself.
They hope to have enough in time to begin construction in 2022. Ms Bird said that community support–as it was at the beginning–will continue to be critical.
“If we can raise enough funds now through crowdfunding and through other charities and bodies, we should be good to go.
“Crowdfunding in itself is an important part of the process. It helps to demonstrate the support from the community.”
