Angus Council's infrastructure services committee has agreed to pursue plans for a new foot and cycle path along a disused railway near Montrose.

If planning permission is approved, work is expected to get underway on the new £229,127 route in February 2011 and will link the west Scotland town with the Northwater Viaduct. Work on a project to improve the viaduct structure was undertaken in the late 1990s by Rail Property. Sustrans acquired the site in 2001 with the view to creating an off-road link between Montrose and St Cyrus.

Plans now backed by the council will see the new 3.5km (2.2-mile) route running from Broomfield Road, Montrose, to the south side of the viaduct, before following a minor public road onto St Cyrus. Part of the disused railway through Kinnaber will also be incorporated into the route.