24 September 2007:  SUPPORTERS of 79 projects - which collectively will be one of six nationwide bids for £50m of lottery money - will be out in force up and down the country on Thursday, 27 September.  They will be attempting to draw nationwide attention to the projects because success will only come through public voting planned for national TV in December. 

 

Locally, the £500,000 Bilton to Ripley route was selected from over 400 submissions to be one of the final 79 schemes that make up the Sustrans Connect2 bid.  Sustrans aim is to support projects where people are able to travel in ways that actually improve health.

 

There is tremendous support locally for from individual residents, interested groups and organisations within the district as well as from Harrogate Borough Council and North Yorkshire County Council. 

 

During the Sustrans bidding process, the Bilton to Ripley route raised the most pledges for support and Sustrans underlined that success to all its other schemes asking them to muster the same sort of support.

 

But now the pressure is really on, says Councillor Don Mackenzie, Harrogate Borough Council's Cabinet Member for Planning and Transport.  "Connect2 says it all really.  These schemes are about connecting people and communities.  This is a dream route for riders, walkers, cyclists and tourists but without lottery funding there is little chance of it ever happening. 

 

"So we will need a lot of help from the public during the voting process.  Many of our supporters have been working hard to generate interest and, with the help of local artist Katie Naylor, they have created a model of the Nidd viaduct to show people what it would be like to cross this stunning structure on foot or bike or horse.  The route would nicely link the existing network of paths in Harrogate and Knaresborough with those in Ripley and Nidderdale."

 

Sustrans Connect2 bid is unique in that it contains 79 projects which would benefit the whole country  The other five schemes bidding for this money are: Sherwood Forest (The Living Legend); The Science Museum, Swindon; The Eden Trust; Somerset Waterlinks and the Black Country Urban Park.

 

If Sustrans' bid is successful then we will be one of the 79 schemes to receive grants from the £50m lottery pot known as the People's Millions. 

To be notified of the telephone number to vote in December, people should register their interest by registering on the web at www.sustransconnect2.org.uk or telephoning 0845 0581373. Alternatively you can register by texting "connect2" to 80010.  ENDS