Aberdeenshire’s Greenways

The project aims to deliver a modal shift towards walking, cycling, and wheeling in nine Academy Towns in Aberdeenshire: Aboyne, Banff, Banchory, Fraserburgh, Inverurie, Peterhead, Portlethen, Stonehaven, and Turriff.

This initiative is part of both the Aberdeenshire Health and Social Care Partnership’s Workforce Plan Staff Health and Wellbeing Action Plan and the Travel and Transport Action Plan.

The project addresses several key issues identified through the Strategic Plan Engagement Programme and Workforce Plan Monitoring:

• Patients without access to a private car face challenges in accessing health and care services due to infrequent public transport.
• Staff in lower-paid care roles want to cycle or wheel to work but lack secure and safe cycle storage facilities, lockers, or showers.
• Staff burnout is a significant issue, leading to high sickness rates and turnover due to stress, anxiety, and depression.

To tackle these issues, the project will:

• Improve and market nine circular walking routes in the mentioned towns, making them attractive and accessible for different abilities and needs.
• Provide cycle storage, lockers, and shower facilities at various Care Homes, Very Sheltered Housing, Health Centres, and Community Hospital sites.
• Implement a programme of behaviour change activities, events, and promotion of active travel from April to December 2025, supported by staff health and wellbeing volunteers.

This project aims to support the mental and physical health and wellbeing of staff, patients, and their families, while also promoting active travel and reducing reliance on private cars.

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