Although competing against over 40 local authorities across Scotland, Kirkwall has become one of only seven towns in Scotland to receive funding towards becoming a Sustainable Travel Demonstration Town. The Kirkwall project has been branded 'Kick Start Kirkwall'.

Orkney Islands Council has received £800,000 funding from the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places initiative which will go towards a package of measures aimed at increasing the use of public transport and encouraging more people to walk and cycle around town.

Partners in the three-year Kirkwall project include:

• NHS Orkney
• Energy Advice Centre
• Paths for All Partnership
• Stagecoach

The other successful towns are Barrhead, Dumfries, Dundee, Kirkintilloch/Lenzie, Larbert/Stenhousemuir and Glasgow East End. The towns will now use a total of £15 million of Scottish Government funding to develop a wide range of initiatives such as personalised travel planning, development of better walking and cycling routes, active referrals and encourage their residents to use greener forms of travel.

Measures specific to Kirkwall include footways and crossing facilities in the Quoybanks area of the town, the provision of online interactive mapping for walking routes in Kirkwall, the introduction of ‘travel buddies’ and travel training to support people with physical disabilities or learning difficulties to use sustainable travel options and the introduction of a Paths to Health scheme.

Kick Start Kirkwall Promotional Information

For further information about the initiatives included in the Kick Start Kirkwall project please see the links on the left of this page.

The following documents are available for download from Related Downloads on the left of this page.

Kick Start Kirkwall Progress Poster

The above poster provides you with a list of initiatives which have recently been completed in Kirkwall as part of the Kick Start Kirkwall project. The poster also highlights initiatives to be completed during 2010/11.

Kick Start Kirkwall Fact Sheet

This factsheet has been produced by the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places team and provides background information about the Kirkwall project.

Smarter Choices, Smarter Places Fact Sheet

This factsheet has been produced by the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places team and provides background information about the funding in the 7 sustainable travel demonstration towns in Scotland.

Kick Start Kirkwall Promotional Leaflet

This promotional leaflet has been designed to raise awareness of the Kick Start Kirkwall project.