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A new bus serving will take to the road next week linking Speyside with Elgin.
The Moray Council-operated service - number 366 – will run every Monday and Wednesday.
It will leave Aberlour at 9am and travel via Marypark, Knockando, Lower Knockando Archiestown and Rothes before arriving at the Elgin bus station at 10.20am.
The return journey will start at the bus station at 1.20pm and arrive back in Aberlour at 2.40pm.
Connections will also be available to and from Carron and Dailuaine.
Timetables are being distributed in communities along the route and are also available here online.
National entitlement cards and the Young Scot card can be used on the route.
Donald Peace from Lossiemouth gets in some training ahead of his appearance for Scotland.
Lossiemouth surfer Donald Peace is to join the Scottish Surf Team to compete at the ESF European Surfing Championships in Morocco next month.
Donald (30), who runs the New Wave Surf School based in Lossiemouth, is one of only seven team members chosen by the Scottish Surfing Federation from across Scotland to travel to Morocco and represent their country.
The third annual Feelgood Festival which is set to spread a smile and encourage people to be inspired and get creative.
The Feelgood Festival is Moray’s unique contribution to the Scottish Mental Health Arts & Film Festival, one of the country’s most diverse cultural events, covering everything from music, film, workshops, visual art, theatre and literature, all designed to get people thinking and talking about mental health.
The 2013 festival successfully engaged with between 1500-2000 people of all ages from across Moray within schools and community venues. We all have mental health and the festival and its events are open to all people.
The festival aims to shine a light on mental health by promoting wellbeing along with innovative programming, featuring contributions from individuals who have experience of mental health issues as well as exploring the links between the arts, creativity and wellbeing.
The Moray Feelgood Festival kicks off in October (1st-31st) and promises a packed programme of arts and film events and activities.
The festival is directed by the Moray Community Health and Social Care Partnership and would not be possible without its many partners and supporters, including those with lived experience of mental health issues.
Chair of Moray Council’s Health and Social Care Committee, Cllr Lorna Creswell, said that Moray has a strong local arts scene which the month-long event will be tapping into.
“The arts have an important role in keeping us healthy, happy and feeling included in our communities,” she said.
“Looking after our mental health is an important part of a healthy lifestyle, and the community events taking place are a great way to get people experiencing the feel good factor and for them to find out more about how they can take positive steps to good mental health and wellbeing.”
Through connecting with communities, engaging with the arts and forming new collaborations, the festival and its wide programme of events will provide opportunities to get people thinking and talking about mental health, challenge mental health stigma and promote positive mental health and wellbeing messages”
Steven McCluskey, Moray Council’s health improvement strategic manager who is directing the festival said there will be many opportunities across events to find out more about sources of help and support as well as how to get involved with local groups.
“We all have mental health and the festival is open to all people, and I look forward to welcoming everyone to the festival and its many events.”
The festival runs from 1st-31st October. Festival programme brochures and event flyers will be available across community venues and libraries. News, updates, event and mental health information can also be found on the festivals website at Website / Website
Also check out Twitter @morayfeelgood and Facebook: Moray Feelgood Festival
Plans for Elgin’s western link road were rejected by Moray councillors today following a one-and-a-half day public hearing.
Members of the council’s planning and regulatory services committee refused the planning application by seven votes to six.
The £8.5million scheme had been promoted by the council as a means of easing traffic congestion in Elgin and helping to encourage economic development within the town.
It would have seen Edgar Road extended to meet the southern end of Wittet Drive and the construction of a new road bridge over the Aberdeen-Inverness railway line as well as a new signalled junction where Wittet Drive meets the A96 at West Road.
The application attracted almost 800 objections and most of the first day of the hearing was taken up with presentations by opponents of the scheme who claimed it would result in increased traffic on Witted Drive and Edgar Road and unacceptable noise pollution and visual impact along the proposed route.
The motion to refuse the application came from committee chairman Councillor Douglas Ross seconded by Councillor Gordon McDonald. The amendment to approve came from Councillor John Cowe and seconded by Councillor Allan Wright.
Councillor Ross said afterwards: “Today’s vote is a culmination of many years deliberations and for the campaigners who erected signs saying, “Are you listening Moray Council?” I think the planning committee showed them we were.
“Planning applications are often controversial and divide opinion and this one was no different but for me, after hearing the public submissions and the responses from the applicant and council officers, I wasn’t convinced this road was the best way forward.
“A number of issues remained uncertain, including noise mitigation, projected vehicle numbers and safety aspects. These were just some of the material planning considerations that led me to move refusal of the application and a majority of councillors agreed.
“I’m in no doubt that doing nothing is not an option but this scheme, in this location was not going to deliver the benefits required to take such a monumental decision to approve the application.
“This saga has gone on for too long and now the planning committee, appointed by the entire council, has spoken. The Western Link Road is not the way forward and campaigners against the route must be commended for the case they presented.”
A public consultation is to be held in Hopeman on Thursday, October 16 following flooding which affected many homes in the village during early August.
Members of Moray Council’s flood risk management team will be on hand to gather information from local residents and to hear first hand how events unfolded during the period of intense rainfall.
Villagers are being asked to take along any photos or video footage of the flooding and anything else that might be relevant.
The consultation, which will take place in the Hopeman Memorial Hall from 4pm to 7.30pm, will also include representatives from the Scottish Flood Forum and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency who will be able to deal with queries on issues such as personal flood protection, insurance and raising flood risk awareness.
