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Broughty Ferry active travel route: How the £18m project took shape

Work to bring the project to life has been ongoing since 2019.

By Laura Devlin

May 12 2024, 7:00am

The Broughty Ferry active route officially opened on Monday. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson

The new £18m Broughty Ferry active route officially opened on Monday, much to the delight of locals who came out to celebrate.

Work on the bringing the project to life began in 2019 with a series of of feasibility design and engagement activities carried out to canvas opinions.

And between autumn and winter of 2019/2020, around 600 people provided feedback on the draft concept designs.

Funding for the project – initially expected to cost £9m – was then successfully secured from active travel charity Sustrans in 2020.

How the project was planned. Image: Broughty Ferry Active Travel.

Early artists impressions of how the Broughty Ferry Active Travel Project could look. Image: Broughty Ferry Active Travel.

In 2021, initial works were carried out at the Balmossie to Seven Arches link path and lighting was installed at the Stannergate to Douglas Terrace shared path.

However, it wasn’t until a year later that major works from Broughty Castle to Monifieth got under way.

A section of Broughty Ferry Esplanade was shut in August 2022 for around seven months whilst Dundee’s first fully segregated cycle path, as well as a new walkway, were built.

Councillor Mark Flynn, the then convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, down on the esplanade where the work is just starting in August 2022. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson.

The newly completed cycleway and footway onto the Esplanade in February, 2023. Image: Mhairi Edwards/DC Thomson.

And in March last year, the Dighty Burn bridge at Balmossie was shut for major works as part of the active travel route.

A new 5 metre-wide footbridge was built over the burn to alleviate what a common bottleneck.

Picture of the old path — The Dighty Bridge was shut for around seven months last year as part of the works. Image: Alan Richardson.

The new Dighty Burn bridge — A new bridge spanning the Dighty Burn is part of the active travel route to Broughty Ferry and Dundee. Image: Nicholas Smith.

The works also included adding a new five metre-wide path that continues along to the Dighty Burn from Broughty Ferry Esplanade

The bridge was officially opened with a ceremony in March.

Councillor Beth Whiteside (leader of Angus Council) officially opened the new bridge spanning the Dighty Burn in March. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

The new bridge spanning the Dighty Burn, South Balmossie Street, Monifieth. Image: Kim Cessford/DC Thomson

Further work then began on the last link of the upgraded path between Castle Green and Mill Street.

That phase was completed earlier this year and the travel route was officially opened with a special ribbon cutting ceremony on May 6.

Councillor Steven Rome officially opens the Broughty Ferry active travel route. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

Cyclists and walkers flood through the ribbon to access the new active cycle way in Broughty Ferry. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

A series of art works have also been commissioned for the Broughty Ferry active travel route, including three bronze dolphins which were erected near the beach in January.

The dolphins were named Dooker, Haar and Brochtie after a competition asking members of the public for suggestions.

Competition winners with their certificate to help name the dolphins at Broughty Ferry. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

The waterfront 'lady' sculpture in Broughty Ferry — The waterfront sculpture. Image: Andrew Robson/DC Thomson.

And just last month, a new structure appeared on The Esplanade, close to Barnhill Rock Garden.

Created by artists Lee Simmons – who is also behind the whale sculpture at the Dundee waterfront – it has been described as “a silhouette of human form in motion.”