Path funding

Transforming the school run in East Kilbride

What was once a stressful, uneven, and sometimes dangerous walk to school is transformed for families in East Kilbride.

A collage of 4 images that show the path before, with deep potholes and puddles, compared to after, which has a smooth tarmac finish.

Supported by the Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), our SPT Community Path Fund has helped to upgrade the school run.

The path to school is now smooth, safe and accessible. Free from traffic and separated from the road, the route gives parents and pupils the freedom to walk or wheel to school with confidence each day.

The change has been deeply felt across the community.

“The path is a better surface for parents and children, especially as my child has a visual impairment and walks with a white cane. We walk here for the nursery and primary and it is so much better. If the car park is too busy, we park further away and use this safer path to get to school.”

Parent at St Leonard’s Primary School

The upgraded path doesn’t just serve the school. It links the community to the bowling green and golf course, creating more opportunities for people to choose active travel in their daily lives.

“Parking at school and wheeling down to the pitches [as a wheelchair user] is much safer now with the path.”

Before the improvements, the route was riddled with potholes, puddles and uneven surfaces. Cars often blocked the way, forcing pedestrians onto muddy grass. Many families avoided the path altogether.

Now, the difference is striking. After speaking to pupils at assembly about the new safe route, the school has already seen 77 daily trips along the path. This number is expected to rise once golf, bowling and football seasons start. More children, parents and visitors can now walk or wheel safely.

Beyond the physical upgrades, the project has sparked something bigger in the community. There is the renewed sense of possibility for other ways to improve the local area.

“Being linked to the Walking Communities Programme also gives us confidence to develop more projects into the future, knowing we have the support of and experience with a range of partners.”

Councillor Kirsten Robb, Project Applicant

Seeing the transformation and hearing how it has changed people’s daily lives has strengthened the community’s drive for further updates. This path is more than a route to school. It’s a reminder of the comfort and safety that thoughtful design can bring to everyday journeys.