HELENSBURGH and Lomond councillors have endorsed the route for the next stage of the cycle path between Helensburgh and Dumbarton.

The chosen route is the one backed by more than three quarters of people who took part in a consultation on the plans in June.

The selected route seeks access to the private Geilston Park Road between Station Road and the playing fields. From Geilston Park road the route follows the south side of the playing fields and Cardross Park, crosses Geilston Burn and follows the north side of the railway to Murray's crossing.

Between Murray's Crossing and the A814 at the junction opposite the Geilston Gardens access road the route will follow the existing farm access road which will be upgraded to provide a suitable walking and cycling route.

The council is still hopeful of buying the land needed to complete the cycleway by negotiating with the relevant landowners but has not ruled out a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO).

An update on negotiations will be provided to the area committee on December 21 and an update on the recommendation on the requirement for a CPO on March 22 2018.

A topic of the report to the area committee mentioned that the designs for the cycleway which were originally a 2m wide specification have been extended to 2.5m wide in line with Sustrans Handbook for cycle-friendly design guidelines. 2.5m is the minimum width acceptable to Sustrans for the council to access funding.

Councillor David Kinniburgh, asked Colin Young the strategic transport delivery officer present at the meting if the negotiations so fare were irrelevant.

He said: "Changing the design and pursuing a CPO doesn't match up. We don't have a final design to carry out negotiations."

Mr Young said: "In detail you are correct. In principal the idea of whether you are willing to have a cycle path is underway. Negotiations so far are not lost ground. It is a detailed change not a general one."

Other councillors were more concerned with the next phase of the route from Cardross to the east of Helensburgh. Councillors asked if it would be a shared space, how it would be funded and how existing walking routes like the John Muir Way and the Three Lochs Way would tie in with the design.

Mr Young explained that no route had been formed and all options could be considered and a consultation held and that at the time there were no plans to ask for council funding for the next phase.

Area committee chair, councillor Ellen Morton highlighted the success of the consultation held in Cardross in June.

She said: "The community spoke to me after the meeting and praised the officers present. We are grateful for the work of Colin and the team."