Who would you like to Connect2?
Sustrans' community project is working with partners around the UK to overcome long-standing barriers such as busy roads, railways or rivers that are dividing communities and making it difficult for people to travel by foot or bike as part of their everyday lives. This might mean building a foot or cycle bridge over a river or railway, creating a pleasant path for people that by-passes the by-pass, or linking up existing traffic-free paths. Connect2 aims to change people's perceptions of their local area so that they automatically choose to make their everyday journeys by foot or bike. Each solution will be inspirational in design but sensitive to the character of the area and the needs of the local community. The project is now through to the final stages of the Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmarks: The People's Millions competition and has received a fantastic level of response from all over the UK for possible schemes.

Andy Wistow is the Connect2 Project Director

We heard that we had been short listed by the Big Lottery Fund's Living Landmarks People's Millions Programme - one of only six projects to get through - at the end of last summer, For the last few months we have been working hard with a wide range of partners and local communities across the UK to identify projects that will change the way local people travel around their local area. We have been delighted by the level of interest in the programme and the high quality of the submissions, in total we received over 400 proposals and, primarily through the efforts of our regional teams, we have selected a Long List of 129 schemes.   We will continue to work with the local! communities to develop their proposals so between us we are confident that they can be achieved, they have a good level of public support and that they fulfil the aims and ambitions of Connect2. By the end of April 2007, we will reduce the number of schemes again to form the final Connect2 Project, There is still! a tong way to go before we know whether we will be successful with our bid. The Big Lottery Fund will assess Connect2 and the other short listed projects again in the summer. Following that there will be the public television vote to decide the one project that will receive the £50 million funding. Whatever the outcome we are pleased to have had this opportunity to work so closely with the communities that would benefit from Connect2. Sustrans are really keen to find out your views on the proposals in your area. The Gonnect2 website (www.sustransconnect2.org.uk) has details of all the Long List schemes and includes a survey where you can submit your views. You can also contact Connect2 by phone: 0845 058 1373 or by email; connect2@sustrans.org.uk Please take a look at the website and encourage your community to get involved.