Forres Academy walking route complete by new signage

The finishing touches have been made to a local walking, wheeling and cycling route.

And Moray Council have installed a new information panel next to a rain garden on the route past Forres Academy, packed with details of local flora and fauna.

Economic Development and Infrastructure Services Committee chairman, Councillor Marc Macrae (Fochabers, Conservative), is grateful to active travel charity Sustrans for funding the project via the ‘Places for Everyone’ programme.

He said: “It’s good to see the project being finished.

“The new active travel route has shown to be an important improvement for efficient and safe travel between destinations, and numbers of users seem to have increased since its instalment, especially cyclists.”

Connections to Burdsyard Road and Roysvale have been made wider and safer, while access to the bridge over Burdshaugh has been improved.

The path connects Forres Academy, Forres Swimming Pool and Fitness Centre, the town’s primary schools and nearby residential areas.

Active Travel Forres founder, Judith Binney, believes it is “a lovely safe route through the area”.

She said: “Lots of people with mobility scooters use it every day, as well as school children on their bikes.

“We continue to work to have safe routes throughout Forres, for everyone to enjoy.”

The garden feature outside Forres Academy is designed to collect rainwater, allowing it to float into the Mosset Burn. Trees and shrubs have been planted to make the space wildlife-friendly.

“The information panel highlights the added value of the raingarden to the area,” said Cllr Macrae. “The garden and panel are a colourful addition to all that Forres has to offer to people walking, wheeling and cycling.”

Cllr Draeyk van der Horn (Forres, Greens) believes it is “critically important” to wellbeing and health to be active.

He said: “Safe travel routes is part of that goal. It is especially important that young people can experience this, as it contributes to a lifelong relationship to active travel.”

He added: “The raingarden shows us the deep connection we all have to the natural world in a time of a nature crisis, and I am particularly glad to see this include Gaelic names, helping us better understand our culture and heritage.”

The community is invited to Active Travel Forres’ open meeting in the Green room at Forres Community Centre at 10.30am on Saturday, December 7.

For more information visit the Active Travel Forres Facebook page.