A CYCLING project at Lochore Meadows has received nearly £50,000 of Scottish Government and sportscotland funding.

The Whitewood Mountain Bike trails will benefit from a £49,466 boost, with new trails added for both formal coaching sessions and informal sessions for people of all abilities.

The cycling project is one of two in Fife to receive a cash injection from the national Cycling Facilities Fund.

Cllr Judy Hamilton, convener of Fife Council's Community and Housing Services sub-committee, welcomed the news.

She said: "Both of these projects will bring huge benefits to the local community, not only enhancing the cycling opportunities on offer, but also improving the health and wellbeing of Fifers and visitors.

"The council's cycling development work in partnership with local groups and schools is at the heart of these successful funding bids and thanks are due to everyone involved.

"We will continue the work in our Sports and Physical Activity strategy to increase access to cycling and all sports across Fife, encouraging more people to be active and take advantage of the fantastic facilities the Kingdom has to offer."

The national Cycling Facilities Fund was established to build on the growing interest in cycling by developing a network of accessible facilities to encourage people of all ages to ride bikes and enjoy the sport of cycling.

It will also deliver a tangible benefit as part of the wider policy objectives driving the forthcoming 2023 UCI Cycling World Championships, which will take place in Glasgow and Scotland bringing together the 13 existing World Championship cycling disciplines into one event for the very first time.

Maree Todd MSP, the Scottish Government's Sports Minister, stated: “I am delighted that more communities across Scotland will benefit through the cycling facilities fund.

"We have seen a record increase in the number of people participating in cycling particularly during these very challenging times. It is important we continue to build on the interest in cycling and the positive impact it has on health and wellbeing helping us achieve our vision of an active Scotland where everyone benefits from sport and physical activity for their physical, mental and social health.

“This investment in accessible, inclusive and inspiring cycling facilities will also deliver a legacy from the Cycling World Championships in 2023 for decades. By taking this innovative and collaborative approach to investment in cycling we can harness the power of the bike and encourage communities across Scotland to realise the many health, environmental and economic benefits of riding a bike.”

Chief Executive of sportscotland, Stewart Harris, also said: “These continue to be challenging times for everyone, but we know that sport and physical activity has an important part to play in the recovery of the nation. By investing in local facilities like these, more people can be more active.

“By working together with a range of partners including the Scottish Government, Scottish Cycling, the National Lottery, and the National Lottery players we are able to support communities across Scotland in their ambition to deliver projects like this.”

The fund has been made possible through a £4 million commitment of capital funding from Scottish Government and £4 million of National Lottery funding from sportscotland. This significant investment in infrastructure is being delivered through a partnership between Scottish Cycling and sportscotland to ensure projects can have a lasting impact