Facilities to help boost cycling in the city have improved in the past two years, but more progress will be made according to a new report.
The first two-yearly update on Dundee’s cycling strategy shows a number of positive developments to infrastructure, relationships and awareness in active travel.
Among the achievements of the strategy since its 2016 launch, was the appointment of a council cycling spokesperson to give greater political leadership. Cllr Kevin Cordell, a lifelong keen cyclist, was appointed to the role.
He said: “Continuing to work together through the Dundee Cycling Forum, which itself was set up as a result of the strategy, and improved co-ordination of activity through the Cycling Working Group will see more developments coming on stream in the coming months.
“It would be the easiest thing in the world to focus on what hasn’t been done and indulge in a bit of council-bashing, but progress is being made and more will be achieved.”
Mark Flynn, deputy convener of the city council’s city development committee added: “The physical infrastructure to support more active travel, including cycling, has been improved since the strategy was launched.
“There is better cycle parking at our schools, routes have been upgraded around Caird Park and along the riverside and crossings over major routes have been put in to make cycling easier.
“Within a few weeks there is more to come with the upgrading to the surface for cycling at Dundee Docks, and the reopening of the pedestrian route, as well as the opening of the cycle parking facility at the new Railway Station concourse.”
The report, which will be considered by the city development committee on Monday October 29, also highlights improved delivery of Bikeability across Dundee schools as the successor to the former cycling proficiency test.
At its launch in 2016 the Dundee Cycling Strategy sought to develop policies and deliver under six key headings:
• Leadership and governance;
• route network development;
• other cycling infrastructure;
• information;
• enabling cycling; and
• encouraging cycling.
The update report identifies progress in each of the categories.
Dundee City Council
Dundee draws skilled workers from a 60-minute catchment population of 640,000 and has a local population of over 140,000. The availability of a large pool of highly skilled labour is a key feature in the Dundee economy. Flexibility in the labour force is currently more prevalent in Dundee than in Scotland as a whole. All forms of labour market flexibility - part-time, temporary employment, self-employment and shift work - are widely operational within the city. Labour force stability in the city is excellent, enabling companies to plan with confidence. Labour turnover levels are less than 5% and absenteeism averages 2%.
