The Project

The primary objective for LoMATR is completing the active travel route connecting the coastal settlements of Burghead, Cummingston, Hopeman, Covesea, and Duffus, to Lossiemouth. This route would offer a safe route to walk, cycle or wheel to Lossiemouth High School and RAF Lossiemouth; as well as connecting the coastal villages to their local services, including medical centre, vet, and shops in Lossiemouth.

There is no bus service directly connecting these communities, and no safe walking, cycling or wheeling route west of Lossiemouth to Gordonstoun School, Covesea Lighthouse, Silver Sands Holiday Park, or Twenty Nineteen Cafe. People are often seen walking on the verge of the national speed limit B9040 road, and it is only a matter of time before there is a serious collision.

A shadow of a cyclist on a shared-use path in Moray
A couple of cyclists using the Moray Coastal Route near Cummingston

The Story So Far…

2007 – A feasibility study was produced for Moray Council with the aim of connecting the feeder primary schools of Burghead and Hopeman to Lossiemouth High School, offering a safe route to school.

2012 – The Moray Coastal Route was completed, but only between Burghead and Duffus. The onward section to Lossiemouth was removed from the project scope due to landowners reluctance to release land.

2013 – Lossiemouth Community Development Trust (LCDT) was formed, and undertook a survey to prioritise short and long term aims for the town. An active travel route between Hopeman and Lossiemouth was voted top by Lossiemouth High School students, and came second only to the East Beach Bridge across the entire town.

2018A refreshed feasibility study of the Hopeman to Lossiemouth section of the route was completed, thanks to funding from Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership (HiTrans).

2020 – The LCDT sub-group became the Laich of Moray Active Travel Routes (LoMATR) SCIO.

2021A design study was undertaken for the Hopeman to Lossiemouth section of the route, thanks to funding from Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme. Unfortunately the optimal route that fitted Cycling By Design standards could not be agreed by all landowners.

2023 – An initial request to Moray Council to initiate a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) was rejected pending satisfaction of a number of criteria – including demonstrating that the project has strong community support.

2024 – We’re relaunching our campaign, but we need your help…

Two people using an adapted bike in a park
A person using an adapted bicycle near an NCN milepost
A parent and child using an adapted bike on a shared-use path

HOW CAN YOU HELP?

Donate your time – The SCIO is currently seeking new members to help take the Lossiemouth – Hopeman project forward through the design and construction stages. You don’t need to have any experience of building paths, negotiating with landowners, or fundraising (though it would be very helpful if you did) – any time and experience you can contribute would be greatly appreciated.
Donate some money – LoMATR must raise funds to acquire the necessary access and planning permissions before completing the design and commencing construction of the active travel route between Lossiemouth and Hopeman. Fortunately, there’s hope that the Scottish Government will provide the bulk of the funding, but your donation will help provide the funding we need to take the project forward.
A runner holding a phone with thumbs up

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If you have any questions or want to get in touch about something else, then please get in touch. We would love to hear from you!

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Laich of Moray Active Travel Routes group is refusing to be disheartened by Moray Council's rejection of the request to assist with the legalities of Compulsory Purchase (or lease) of the land required to achieve the vision to complete an active travel route...

MAATIC Active Travel Route

MAATIC Active Travel Route

It's wonderful to see the UK and Scottish Governments investing in Moray with the £100M Moray Growth Deal, and to see the expansion of the University of Highlands and Island (UHI) in Moray with the proposed Moray Aerospace, Advanced Technology and Innovation Campus...

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