Popular shortcut in Aviemore to get lit up
A Highlands MSP has been reassured a popular shortcut in Aviemore will be lit up with street lights before Christmas.
Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has secured a switch on date of December 19 or sooner for the back path between the Dell of Spey and Dalnabay.
The scheme got under way in September after the MSP complained lack of street lighting along the route made the pathway extremely dangerous for residents, particularly in the winter months.
However, the project hit a delay and work went to a standstill.
Mrs Grant had to chase up progress with Highland Council who replied earlier this week confirming there would be no more hold-ups.
The MSP said: “A lighting and connections engineer has come back to me saying SSE had confirmed a connection date of December 19.
"I’ll be so pleased to see this work done and I am grateful to Highland Council and SSE for delivering this project which will make the route safer for all the residents.”
The path is used as a shortcut between the village centre and residents at the north end of Aviemore and passes by the old railway workshop.
The project had been due to start in the spring but was held up by the coronavirus outbreak.
Mrs Grant said residents had contacted her saying the track was an accident waiting to happen and raised the concerns in a letter to Highland Council’s chief executive Donna Manson.
Funding has come from Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership’s Active Travel Route fund.
The southern section of the track is also used by traffic departing the Strathspey steam railway for accessing Old Dalfaber Road.
The footpath stretching around one kilometre runs parallel to the steam railway line.
