The Active Way is a community led project which means that we need YOU to tell us your opinion on the paths, walks and cycle lanes in and around St Andrews. Do you find it easy to get around? Could your local path be made better with lighting or artworks? Maybe its a rural lane that needs a better surface for wheels? Whatever you think, we’d love to know about it.
You can join in by signing up to our newsletter (see bottom of page!) or by messaging us with your thoughts. We’ll be collating all info for the next part of our project so look out for a response from us in early autumn.
Meantime, meet some of the people who have commented so far:
Rebecca Riddell, Sports Assistant
I live in St Andrews with my boyfriend and moved here in December 2020. I work for the University.
How do you engage in Active Travel?
The most common type of active travel that I engage in is walking. This is due to not yet owning a bike in St Andrews but I hope to get one in the near future. Because of my shift patterns at work 6:15am starts and 9:30pm finishes I mostly drive to and from work but use active travel when walking in and out of the town for shopping etc.
Why do you choose to walk / cycle / wheel for these journeys / activities?
I choose to walk into town for shopping and for takeaways/meals as I find it difficult to park within the town of St Andrews and often find myself walking quite far anyway if I do try to drive.
Do you have a preferred path or path network for these journeys? Why do you use this one?
I take small footpaths that run between houses when walking into the town. When looking at routes for potentially wanting to walk to work there is limited walkways and I would have to take a longer walk which puts me off walking to work more.
Are there other paths you’d like to use / quicker routes that would be easier / better with improvements / investment / some simple fixes?
I don’t think my walk into the town could be any quicker as it is pretty much a straight line into town. Some paths are fine for me but are quite uneven and I sometimes see older people struggling with the uneven surfaces.
All truly great thoughts are conceived while walking.
– Friedrich Nietzsche
Scott Grant, Duty Manager
Bar a 4.5 year hiatus in Dundee whilst studying at Abertay university I have lived in St Andrews my whole life. I started working at the University of St Andrews not long after I graduated, on a zero hour contract. 6 months later I was offered the supervisor position and haven’t looked back since – 11 years on and I’m now the Duty Manager.
I also have worked for 8 years as a retained firefighter. To do this role you must live in the town, which I do with my wife and 2 year old daughter – we’re expecting our 2nd arrival in August 2021. And I can’t forget to mention our 7 year old cocker spaniel, Syd!
How do you engage in Active Travel?
I engage in active travel on my 15 minute daily commute to work unless I’m picking up my daughter from a nursery in St Andrews. I tend to do this by car because of timings/logistics of having a young family. I’ll also do visits to and from the fire station by car as I’m usually alerted to attend.
In my leisure time, I take various walks around St Andrews with Syd and my daughter.
Why do you choose to walk / cycle / wheel for these journeys / activities?
Why Not? Especially if the weather is good, there’s no excuse really! We live in a great part of the world and working in a sports centre environment I like to try and keep fit as best as I can in my busy schedule. Walking to work allows me to ‘get my steps in’ for the day, keeping me active.
Do you have a preferred path or path network for these journeys? Why do you use this one?
It has changed recently as I moved house last October but if I’m cycling in I take a perceived longer route as its more bike friendly. About 2 years I came a croper by crossing a footpath bridge down a hill on a damp day and came off my bike. I’ve tried to avoid that route in since and stick to the roads and or cycle paths!
Are there other paths you’d like to use / quicker routes that would be easier / better with improvements / investment / some simple fixes?
As mentioned above , the path at the bottom of Canongate Primary School that leads up Hepburn Gardens is not as smooth as it could be and has a lot of damp about it and water/mud pooling during the winter. That, and more investment in pot holes in various places around the roads would just make it easier for days I do a cycle commute.
