This is not a chairlift. Imagine it without the roof and windows and you're mostly there
The Tweed Valley uplift saga rumbles on, with an independent report commissioned by Scottish Enterprise Borders highlighting that, surprisingly enough, "re-introduction of a safe vehicle uplift facility at the Innerleithen downhill course is a key first step in helping to grow the number of people using the downhill tracks."
They're not kidding. The existing vehicle uplift service was canned back in April 2006. Things are, apparently, happening though. Forestry Commission Scotland is currently looking for a company to operate a bus-based transport system to safely transport bikers and their bikes to the top of the downhill routes at Innerleithen. It's hoping to get a system up and running by the summer, and we'd like to think that this report would only help to accelerate the process.
That's not the exciting news, though. The good bit is that phrase "key first step". For the report proposes that in the long term the Tweed Valley could establish itself as an MTB destination to rival Les Gets and Whistler, attract 100,000 visitors a year, create 200 new jobs and generate more than £6 million a year for the Scottish economy.
And how will it achieve this? By installing the world's first dedicated mountain bike chairlift system.
This isn't the first proposal of its kind in the UK - Dragon Downhill's Jason Carpenter has been working on a South Wales chairlift project for some time, and the Tourism Swansea Bay partnership has been pushing for a chairlift at Afan Argoed Forest Park. But the Tweed Valley proposal looks like going instantly into the lead as being the most likely to happen any time soon.
A lot of work has already gone into this idea. The report recommends installing a detachable quad chairlift system in Innerleithen, between Elibank and Traquair Forests. The Innerleithen Downhill course at Traquair Forest is already well-renowned and a chairlift system would "offer significant opportunities to develop the area and reinforce its world-class reputation amongst mountain bike enthusiasts."
The Tweed Valley Development Group has set up a new working group including Scottish Enterprise Borders, Scottish Borders Council, Forestry Commission Scotland and the Tweeddale Business Consortium to take forward the report's proposals. Yes, that's kind of a committee, a word that tends to strike fear into the hearts of anyone waiting for things to happen, but it shows that the chairlift proposal is being taken very seriously.
So the vehicle uplift will be just the start. FC Scotland says that there are currently 8,000 visits a year. The vehicle uplift will have a target of growing that to at least 25,000. The more numbers go up, the more viable a chairlift begins to look. Certainly the local powers-that-be seem well up for it.
Dr Julian Pace, Director of Strategy at Scottish Enterprise Borders, says: "The success of mountain biking at Traquair Forest and Glentress, means the Tweed Valley region is fast becoming a favourite location for beginners and enthusiasts. This report demonstrates there is now a real opportunity to capitalise on that success and position the Borders as one of the world's leading mountain bike destinations.
"We are now looking forward to working with our partners to identify how we progress with the chairlift system and ensure that future development at Tweed Valley will deliver significant economic benefits while minimising the impact on the local infrastructure, environment and community."
Christina Tracey from Forestry Commission Scotland said: "We welcome the findings of the report, which reflects the importance of the Tweed Valley forest area to the local economy and its tremendous reputation for being a mecca for mountain bikers. We recently advertised for highly motivated entrepreneurs who have all the skills and resources to provide a high quality vehicle based uplift facility. We will continue to work the partners in looking at the options for growing the venue in a sustainable way."
And Emma Guy and Tracy Brunger, who run the popular Hub in the Forest mountain bike centre at Glentress, believe a new chairlift would have a positive impact on surrounding businesses. Emma says: "Tracy and I have been working towards the vision of a chairlift at Innerleithen for several years. To see this vision shared with the partners that can make it happen is fantastic. This is a crucial and exciting stage in the physical reality of a mountain bike dedicated chairlift and it is important for the Borders economy that this opportunity is seized".
The chairlift race is on...
