Scottish Borders Council

Agenda item

Scottish Borders Cycle Tourism Strategy - Update

Consider update by Executive Director on activities in 2018 in relation to Cycle Tourism Strategy 2016-2021 and opportunities for 2019 (copy attached).

Minutes:

4.1       With reference to paragraph 6 of the Minute of 1 November 2016, there had been circulated copies of a report by the Executive Director providing an update on the activities achieved in 2018 in relation to the delivery of the Scottish Borders Cycle Tourism Strategy 2016-2021 and highlighting the opportunities for 2019.  The aim of the Scottish Borders Cycle Tourism Strategy was to boost the Scottish Borders’ economy, accelerating the growth of cycling from an events and tourism perspective.  Whilst the area was already a recognised destination for cycling in the UK the aim would be to be seen as one of Britain’s premier destinations for cycling by 2021.  The details of the activities undertaken in 2018 were set out in Appendix 1 to the report.  It was explained that continued interest was shown from event organisers in staging events in the area, both from within and outwith the Scottish Borders.  Part of this was due to the area being seen as ‘cycle friendly’.  TweedLove and Tour o’ the Borders remained as key events in the calendar.  2018 saw the return of the Tour de Lauder; Cross Border Sportive and the Selkirk Mountain Bike Marathon; Scottish Enduro Series along with cycling club events such as the Tour of Tweeddale; and also the Ken Laidlaw Sportive. The 2018 portfolio of events that were part of the TweedLove Festival generated an economic impact of £740k.  2018 also saw the inaugural Doddie’s Ride take place to raise funds for the Doddie Weir Foundation. In a further move to support cycling activity across the area, freestanding bike repair stations were in the process of being installed in Hawick, Peebles, Tweedbank, Galashiels, Innerleithen and Kelso.Potential new events for 2019 included a weekend mountain biking festival, Transcend, which was a development of the TweedLove Festival.  The European round of the Enduro World Series would return in May 2019 and discussions were already underway about the Tour of Britain (TOB) returning to the area in 2020.

 

4.2       Members welcomed the activities achieved in 2018 in relation to the Cycle Tourism Strategy and were enthusiastic about the opportunities presented in the report for further development of cycling in the Scottish Borders.  As part of the marketing strategy for the area as a premier destination for cycling a suggestion was made that Tweeddale be developed as a ‘National Park’ for cycling.  Members recognised the potential for further cycling projects and cross border initiatives if funding became available through the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency or the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal.  In further discussion the observation was made that, in welcoming cyclists to the Borders, consideration must be given to the state of the road surfaces, over 40% of which required immediate attention.  The issue of safety was also referred to, with a publicity campaign suggested particularly in respect of the visibility of cyclists on the Borders’ roads.

 

DECISION

AGREED to:-

 

(a)        note the achievements and progress in 2018 in relation to the Scottish          Borders Cycle Tourism Strategy;

 

(b)       note the opportunities for cycle-related events and activities in 2019;             and

 

(c)        continue to support the cycle tourism sector and continue to encourage       cycle events as part of the Scottish Borders Cycle Tourism Strategy.

 

 

Supporting documents:

 

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