RESIDENTS are split on council plans for a new active travel route between Dunoon and Hunters Quay, a report has revealed.

Argyll and Bute Council staged an online consultation, the second to take place as part of the process, on the plans between late January and late February, which attracted over 200 responses.

A total of 42 per cent were in favour of the concept design for the route, while 46 per cent were against. Most negative responses voiced concerns about the loss of on-street parking.

Councillors are being recommended to continue to support the continuation of the project, and the submission of a new funding application to Places for Everyone to complete the required design work.

The report will go before members of the council’s Bute and Cowal area committee at its meeting on Tuesday, September 3.

Executive director Kirsty Flanagan said: “The concept design was split into four sections for the consultation –  section A, Victoria Parade to Riverside Leisure Centre; section B, Riverside Leisure Centre to Kirn; section C through Kirn; and section D, Kirn to Hunters Quay, at a location approximately 100m south of the ferry terminal.

“Section A proposed a design for a bidirectional segregated cycle track utilising the existing available road and footway width without the need to remove any on street parking.

“Sections B-D proposed widening the footway to create a wider shared surface path for walking, wheeling and cycling.

“This was largely achievable by using the existing road verge; however as the route approaches Hunters Quay the available usable verge width significantly reduces and it was proposed to extend the existing double yellow lines from the Hunters Quay ferry terminal further south towards Kirn to allow for the wider footway and be able to retain the required carriageway running widths.

“The design also contains a series of improved crossing facilities along the length of the route. The proposed crossing at Kirn required the removal of approximately five on-street parking bays to allow for safe visibility lines.

“The proposed crossing at John Street required the existing road lay out be changed from a mini roundabout to a priority junction. None of the other crossing required significant changes to the existing road layout.”

Ms Flanagan added: “The consultation received 207 responses, a drop of 176 from the previous consultation. The results on the new concept design were more evenly split with 42 per cent of respondents saying that they were supportive or very supportive of the new concept design and 46 per cent of respondents saying they were unsupportive or very unsupportive of the new concept design.

“Although a slightly higher percentage of respondents said they were still unsupportive of the design the main concerns appear to be in relation to sections C and D of the route between Kirn and Hunters Quay.

“Again these concerns focused on the loss of on street parking, both formal parking through the loss of parking bays required for the new controlled crossing at Kirn and informal parking through the extension of the double yellow lines from Hunters Quay south towards Kirn.

“A stakeholder meeting was held with Police Scotland on March 12, who raised no major concerns about the design at this stage.”