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Construction of £1.8m Broughty Ferry cycleway to begin at Esplanade

By David Nicoll, Local Democracy Reporter

June 30 2022, 5:07pm

The Esplanade.

The contract to build a £1.8 million two-way cycle lane and footpath on Broughty Ferry’s Esplanade has been approved by Dundee City Council.

The work will see the popular seaside street’s pavement upgraded from Castle Lane to Bridge Street.

The contract was awarded to city-based Tayside Contracts who are scheduled to start work in August with completion expected early next year.

Cycleway aims to reduce carbon footprint

The project is part of the £9.3 million Broughty Ferry Active Travel scheme.

It is funded by Transport Scotland to promote “new, innovative and popular infrastructure which encourages walking and cycling.” Sustrans Scotland administer the project.

The work was approved at the city development committee on Monday.

Another section of the project, which will see a path widened next to the beach, is already underway

Speaking at the meeting, Councillor Lynne Short said: “There’s a lot of investment here looking at the future…looking at reduction of our carbon footprint.

“It isn’t just what we have in the way of buildings across the city, but how we can influence and have an effect on the way they travel across the city, so well done everybody.”

Deputations from local residents previously voiced concerns about the effect on local traffic flow within Broughty Ferry which consists of streets constructed in the 19th Century.

Wider project already underway

The committee’s convener, Mark Flynn said: “In the face of the climate emergency it is not acceptable to just keep on doing the same things and expecting a different outcome.

“That is why this work, and more like it, is proposed to deliver the council’s climate action plan in support of reduced greenhouse gas emissions and the implementation of clean and green energy and transport solutions.”

Broughty Ferry beach was recently dug up as part of the improvements.

Another section of the cycleway at Castle Green Park and Windmill Gardens, near Broughty Castle, has been held up in a planning wrangle.

Plans to shut Mill Street, a one way route next to the Esplanade car park, have been met with anger from some locals who feel their objections have fallen on deaf ears.

It is now in the hands of the Scottish Government with a planning reporter expected to rule soon whether the plan can go ahead.