A coastline accessed from low tide only and a cracking view across to Inverclyde.
This was an early start for the team to walk the coastal section of phase 2 of the Helensburgh, Cardross , Dumbarton (HCD) path design with our client Argyll and Bute Council as we try to connect the communities of Cardross, Helensburgh and Dumbarton with a new walking and cycling path design. Connected Transport Planning (CTP) were commissioned along with Blyth & Blyth Consulting Engineers Ltd with coastal design support from Arch Henderson | a company of Haskoning to develop the detailed and technical design for this 9km long route.
This project will be tricky. We have a number of landowners to work with made more challenging with the project duration being over 22 years old! So there are many relationships in need of repair.
Some of the project challenges includes a high pressure gas mains to cross, speed limits to change, coastal design to conclude and all within a SSSI designation and working with Network Rail and Nature Scot as some of the key stakeholders involved.
We have already had some good ideas about rock armour coastal solutions to expedite the process!
Following the site visit, the team then shot off to Tarbert for an impromptu landowner meeting on that project. This one is even longer at 12km.
More project details can be found here.
Helensburgh, Cardross, Dumbarton: Detailed Path Design
https://www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/roads-and-travel/walking-and-cycling/active-travel
Jack Munro, Martin McCrossan, Thomas Rea CEng MICE NECReg
So the option to extend the rock armour is a good one. The coast is already ‘disturbed’ but is within a SSSI area of nature sensitivity. Our Habitat Regulations Assessment (HRA) will be critical to evaluate if the route is a viable option by identifying what mitigation is necessary. Stay tuned for more updates