A major riverside pathway connecting Broughty Ferry to the city centre has been reopened following a £370,000 facelift.
The popular cycling route, which passes through the Port of Dundee, was closed in October last year to allow workers to smoothen and widen the track, as well as open it up to pedestrians.
The upgrade is part of a concerted effort to improve sustainable transport options and infrastructure in the city for commuting and leisure purposes.
Before the work, pedestrian access was banned and cyclists had to request authorisation from a port worker via a buzzer system.
The addition of a high fence separating the port from the path has allowed for this drawback to be removed at the agreement of the city council and land owners Forth Ports, while the path also now has bright lighting installed.
Sections which previously flooded or were badly rutted have been re-laid and visibility has been improved at bends.
Lynne Short, convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee, said the upgrade will open up the route from the Ferry to the centre.
She said: “This is a flat route alongside the river and now that it is smoother and better lit it will be easier for cyclists and pedestrians to use.
“The investment in these enhancements was specifically made to encourage walking and cycling, not just for leisure and pleasure, but also as a useful and practical alternative to using the car.”
David Webster, senior port manager at the Port of Dundee, added: “The cycle path through the port has always been popular and with the improvements to the route and the surface, even more people can enjoy a safe journey on bike or foot to and from the city centre.”
The project was awarded funding as part of the Low Carbon Travel and Transport Challenge Fund established by Transport Scotland from funds awarded under European Regional Development Fund 2014-2020.
Kevin Cordell, the council’s spokesperson on cycling, said the path’s completion boosted sustainable transport in the city.
He said: “The newly opened path will form part what is already a popular commuter route between Broughty Ferry and the city centre.
“The cycle counter at the Douglas Terrace end of the path has already shown that tens of thousands of journeys have been made since it was installed in June demonstrating the value of our investment in getting more people cycling, more often.”
New gym equipment
Meanwhile, exercise equipment has recently been installed in areas across the city including Dawson Park, Orchar Park, and Grassy Beach in the Ferry, as well as Fintry Park, Finlathen Park, and Drumgeith Park.
The facilities were voted for in Dundee Decides, which asked how £1.2 million of public cash should be spent across the city.
The Ferry exercise machines cost £25,000 while the Fintry Park and Dighty equipment cost £35,000.
Similar equipment is already in place in some other city parks such as Camperdown.
