Campaigners’ plea for ‘city-wide cycle network’ after £2m windfall news

City council sees renewed calls for route linking Dundee communities

Campaigners have renewed calls for a “city-wide cycle network” linking all Dundee communities after council chiefs confirmed a massive £2m investment in active travel.

Pop-up commuter lanes, wider pavements, more small parks and fewer car parking spaces are likely changes after the local authority secured the large cash injection.

Travel charity Sustrans had previously agreed £450,000 in upgrades, including pedestrianising Union Street and creating 20mph zones.

Ninewells Hospital commuters will be one of the groups to benefit from a £700,000 spend on pop-up cycle lanes to city “employment centres”.

Russell Pepper, of Dundee Cycle

Forum, hailed a potential “new era” for active travel in the city. He said: “The funding for pop-up cycle lanes will be able to provide the backbone of a citywide cycle network in Dundee.”

Dundee Labour city development spokesman Richard Mccready said that “a green future needs to be available to all” and insisted upgraded active travel links were important to the survival of district centres, such as Hilltown, Lochee and Perth Road.

“Many shops and businesses in the district centres will struggle to survive the lockdown and Dundee City Council must use all of its powers to protect and promote these centres,” he said.

A council spokesman said the additional money would be spent on physical distancing measures in district centres, pop-up cycle lanes on commuter routes and upgrading existing routes, including the Green Circular visitor trail.

Physical distancing measures in district centres will get £500,000, including setting up a community support fund, and the Dundee Green Circular route linking notable city landmarks will get £400,000, with council chiefs promising Scotland’s first sustainable “ring-road”.

Established cycling networks connecting schools and communities will also get £400,000, including work to map, repair and replace signage.

Lib Dem leader Fraser Macpherson called for separated routes for walkers and cyclists and proper community consultation before bringing in changes, after 20mph signage caused anger in the west end of the city.

He said: “What many pedestrians and cyclists are looking for is a really good path network where walkers and cyclists can be safely separated.”