Councillors have reiterated their commitment to a cycle path linking Helensburgh with Dumbarton after it was removed from a bid for UK Government funding.
The project was proposed for removal from Argyll and Bute Council’s bid to the Levelling Up Fund as it was unable to meet deadlines for applications.
Councillors then agreed to its removal at a full meeting of the authority on Thursday.
Newly-elected Helensburgh and Lomond South Cllr Math Campbell-Sturgess sought assurance that the project would continue to be supported.
The council’s deputy leader Gary Mulvaney and executive director Kirsty Flanagan responded that it would be.
Cllr Campbell-Sturgess said: “The cycle path is a big issue in my ward. Can I ask the administration if it continues to have their support?”
Cllr Mulvaney responded: “The cycle path is a very long-running project and comes to the area committee on a regular basis.
“As detailed in the exempt papers which go to the area committee, there are land issue factors that mean we cannot complete it as quickly as possible. There are numerous officers involved with landowners to get these resolved.
“Officers are exploring funding with Scottish Government funds and have been quite successful to get various elements done to date.
“Ideally we would get the whole thing done in one, but we have had to do it in sporadic periods because of negotiations with landowners.
“The council remains fully committed to the project, the same as it has done over the last 19 or 20 years.”
Ms Flanagan then said: “We are committed to finding funding and it is just unfortunate we cannot meet the timescales for the Levelling Up Fund.”
An active travel route from Tarbert to Kennacraig was also decided to be removed from the bid, while electric buses for Helensburgh and Lomond remain in doubt as part of the bid.
A report on the final bid will go before the council at its last meeting before summer recess on June 30.
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