News on Ardrossan Connections Proposals

Ardrossan Connections update

The Ardrossan Connections team is currently working on further developing and adapting the concept design. We have been analysing all of the comments we received from the community and access groups. Overall, we received 132 comments on our website and many others through our in-person engagement. We’re really looking forward to presenting the concept design to the community once this process is completed later this Summer.

An objective of the Ardrossan Connection’s project is to allow more people to experience the health and wellbeing benefits of travelling actively and sustainably. One of the biggest of these benefits is a reduction in air pollution, which is recognised by both the World Health Organisation and the UK Government as the leading environmental health risk we face today. Did you know that up to 36,000 deaths in the UK are caused by air pollution each year?

Clean Air Day

That’s why Clean Air Day, the UK’s annual air pollution campaign, is happening tomorrow. Clean Air Day encourages thousands of people to think about what air pollution is and how we can make simple changes in our lives to improve the air quality around us.

What can you do on Clean Air Day?

This year, Clean Air Day is encouraging people to do 3 things:

• Talk to someone about the harms of air pollution.

• Walk those short distance trips and leave the car at home, where you can.

• Ask local and national decision makers for a change in your local community that would make it easier for you to walk more, leave the car at home and breathe clean air.   

You can find out more about air quality in Scotland on this website here: https://www.scottishairquality.scot/air-quality .

To help you get walking, Clean Air Day offers some top tips:

1. Plan ahead - use a map or app to search the best route before you set off.

2. Build it up - start with shorter distances and increase it as you get more confident and fitter.

3. Be weather prepared - don’t be put off by rain - grab your raincoat and umbrella! Sunny? Get your hat and suncream.

4. Wear comfortable shoes - such as trainers or boots to ensure your journey doesn’t cause any unnecessary pain to your feet.

5. Connect while you walk - listen to a podcast or music, or even call someone you’ve been meaning to catch up with for a while. But have the volume low enough to hear oncoming traffic and stay alert to your surroundings.

If you need some motivation, Clean Air Day also has a themed spotify playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/19cbiG7L58nw180OdtRyV2 .

For more information on Clean Air Day or the Ardrossan Connections project, please contact our Community Engagement Officer at tara.coldwellbrock@sustrans.org.uk.