Communities dismayed as support axed for active travel route along disused railway line in East Renfrewshire

Communities in East Renfrewshire have been left dismayed after a proposed active travel route between two nearby villages was scrapped at great expense to the taxpayer.

The Link aimed to offer a safe and scenic walking, cycling and wheeling route along the old railway line between Neilston and Uplawmoor.

Some £200,000 of public money has been spent on the project, which has involved years of negotiations with local landowners and consultations on how best to manage the design of the route.

But volunteers announced this week that East Renfrewshire Council and the cycling charity Sustrans have withdrawn their support for the project.

“We certainly feel very let down at the end of this,” said Martin Houston, director with Uplawmoor Development Trust.

“Initial talks between Neilston Development Trust and Uplawmoor Development Trust about utilising the disused railway between the two communities started way back in 2016.

“About that time, East Renfrewshire Council agreed to a feasibility study for the project, which was carried out by a reputable firm and cost around £30,000, so it was a big commitment

“The biggest issue was getting local landowners to agree to the project – some were fairly resistant and with good reason.

“The leader of the council at that time gave their full commitment to the proposals and an application went to Sustrans for funding as part of the charity’s Places for Everyone programme.

“It was agreed that community organisations would take the lead on the design of the route, but the actual management and construction would be handled by the council.

“Sustrans provided 100% of capital funding and signed off on all stages.

“The project has been well-managed and cost hundreds of thousands of pounds of public money, but it’s a project that won’t be completed.”

Mr Houston said part of the problem lies in how funding is being distributed through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme.

Previously, the money was sent directly to community groups but it now goes to the local authority.

The former line passes under bridges near Jaapston Farm. STV News

A spokesperson for Sustrans said: “Funding previously awarded to support the Neilston to Uplawmoor project was received from our Places for Everyone programme, an active travel infrastructure fund backed by Transport Scotland.

“As communicated to partners in 2024, the Places for Everyone programme will close in December 2025 as Transport Scotland move to a model of awarding funding directly to local authorities through the Active Travel Infrastructure Fund (ATIF).

“As part of this managed transition, it is now at the discretion of local authorities – in this case East Renfrewshire Council – to decide whether to progress with existing, community-led projects.”

In a letter sent to local residents, members of The Link working group said they felt “deep dismay” at the cancellation of the Neilston-Uplawmoor project by East Renfrewshire Council.

The statement said: “The Link is the victim of faulty process but also of a culture which fails to understand the energy and commitment of local people for change in their place.

“Sometimes those aspirations need the input of skilled professionals, and out of that can come a very rich product, which has more chance of being locally ‘owned’ than one visited from above after some ‘consultation’ process.”

A residential section of the proposed route. STV News

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “We’re unable to take the development of the project forward in its current form due to a number of complex challenges associated with this proposed link.

“A number of active travel links are identified in the council’s adopted Local Development Plan 2, but remain an aspiration, as we don’t have the resources to progress them at this time.”