Dundee City Council has launched a new campaign to encourage residents to take up cycling in the city more often.
The city-wide campaign, Dundee is Cycling. Are you?, is run by the Dundee Green Health Partnership along with the council and aims to promote supported cycling projects and highlight the area’s cycle route map.
The campaign comes just in time for National Bike Week, which celebrates cycling and its benefits and is organised by Cycling UK, which this year has decided to make the theme health and wellbeing.
Dundee City Council’s cycling spokesman, Kevin Cordell, said: “The benefits of cycling are clear – it’s good for the environment, can save you money and boost your physical and mental health too.
“During the pandemic, there’s been an increase in people taking up cycling but we want to help increase that further.
“It’s important to make it clear that cycling isn’t just a way of getting exercise but an alternative way to travel too.”
Cycling is for everyone
Councillor Anne Rendall, neighbourhood services convener, said the campaign’s aim is to show that cycling is for everyone.
“There are a number of groups available to support people to cycle, who may have mobility issues or may want to boost their mental health – the Dundee Green Health Partnership can help refer individuals to these projects and help everyone to get outdoors,” she said.
“There are many options for cycling in Dundee and I would encourage individuals and families to look into the cycling route map that has been developed to highlight ways to take in the city by bike.”
Spaces for People
The campaign follows improvements to the city’s Green Circular route through the Scottish Government-funded and Sustrans Scotland-managed Spaces for People scheme, which has looked to make it safer for people to walk, cycle and wheel during Covid.
City development convener Mark Flynn said: “The city’s Green Circular route has been important in connecting users with various sights and green spaces throughout Dundee since its inception 26 years ago.
“The recent improvements made to resurface pathways in Camperdown and Finlathen Park, as well as shared-use paths in Broughty Ferry, have helped to improve the network for more people to use for cycling, with more planned improvements to come, too.”