THE online voting opportunity for the Omagh Connect2 Sustrans application opened on Monday of this week for people to register their support for the favoured projects in the 'People's £50 contest' as part of the Sustrans project. The website can be accessed at www.thepeoples50million.org.uk. However, telephone voting lines do not open until 9pm on December 7 and continuing until December 10.

Omagh's Riverside Walk is an imaginative scheme which encompasses a cycle network and pedestrian and vehicular bridges between Strathroy and the Derry Road through what had been the Lisanelly Army Camp.

The scheme, if realised will, it is believed, regenerate the town, and re-connect communities physically cut off from each other for decades. Though the distance between the Derry Road and Strathroy – as the crow flies – is only a few hundred metres – those making the journey on foot or by road most make a four mile round trip.

The competition is part of The Big Lottery funding and could provide a substantial financial boost for the scheme which may otherwise have to be put on the long finger as the council and associated agencies try to raise the revenue from other sources.

The proposal is for a combined walk and cycle path along the Strule from the Abbey Bridge through to a proposed link road at Strathroy. The route will connect almost seamlessly to the path and cycle way between Bell's Bridge and the Abbey Bridge and compliment the new Strule Arts Centre.

Only four projects are in line for this particular allocation of funds to sustainable transport schemes and that includes the Connect2 project.