COUNCIL chiefs say they remain committed to completing a dedicated route for cyclists between Dumbarton and Helensburgh - despite scrapping plans to make a bid the UK Government to fund the scheme.

The project was proposed for removal from Argyll and Bute Council’s bid to the Levelling Up Fund after authority officials said it would be impossible to get the project to the required stage by an application deadline.

Councillors approved the recommendation to remove the cycle path project from the authority’s bid to the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund at a meeting on Thursday.

Newly-elected SNP councillor Math Campbell-Sturgess, whose Helensburgh and Lomond South ward includes much of the planned route of the path - sought assurance that the project would continue to be supported.

The project dates back to the early 2000s, with only short stretches completed so far,

He said: “The cycle path is a big issue in my ward. Can I ask the administration if it continues to have their support?”

The authority’s depute leader, Councillor Gary Mulvaney, said: “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 land owners 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 land owners.

“The council remains fully committed to the project, the same as it has done over the last 19 or 20 years.”

Ms Flanagan added: “We are committed to finding funding and it is just unfortunate we cannot meet the timescales for the Levelling Up Fund.”

A report on the final bid will go before the council on Thursday, June 30.