Elgin in the running for national award
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Elgin is in the running for Britain’s Best Walking Neighbourhood 2019.
The Ramblers, which is the largest walkers' rights organisation in Great Britain, revealed their final shortlist of the ten most walkable urban areas across England, Scotland and Wales recently.
The public vote to decide the winner opened on Tuesday, May 28 and will remain open until June 30.
Elgin earned its place on the shortlist thanks to its pleasant and walkable centre, which is easily accessible on foot from nearby new housing developments – the Rambles said.
The fully pedestrianised high street also made the town a candidate – as well as the good range of shops and services that residents can access without driving.
They added the council’s pioneering commitment to pedestrian safety has been particularly impressive, with wide pavements and attractive places to stop and relax making the town a more appealing place to take every day journeys on foot.
Richard Lochhead, MSP for Moray, lives in Elgin and is backing the town to win. He said: “A lot of effort has been put in over the years to make Elgin a really good walking location. There are many good walking routes. Whether you live in one of the local housing estates or on outskirts of town, there’ll be a walking route close by to get you from A to B.”
At a time when almost 20 per cent of the population fail to reach recommended activity levels and concerns about air pollution levels hit the headlines on a weekly basis, the Ramblers is calling on local authorities to help tackle these problems by making urban areas better designed for walking.
Their annual award celebrates areas where positive steps have been taken to create green, welcoming and walkable neighbourhoods that put people – rather than cars – at their heart, leading to increased activity, and the health, social and economic benefits this brings to individuals and communities.
Falkirk is the only other Scottish town on the list. The other eight towns in the running for the award are Chorlton and Whalley Range (Greater Manchester), Bow and Three Mills (London), Greater Brockley (London), The Deepings (Lincolnshire), Aberystwyth (Wales), Cambridge (England), Milton Keynes (England), Brighton (England).
To find out more about the ten shortlisted areas and to vote for your favourite click here.
