THE FIRST steps towards the creation of another high quality, inclusive and segregated active travel route alongside a main artery to/from Dundee city centre could be taken next week.
Councillors will be asked to approve the services of consultants Jacobs UK Ltd to investigate a preferred route and concept design linking the heart of the city to the Kingsway via Lochee.
Mark Flynn convener of the city development committee said: “As a result of significant investment, active travel is becoming a viable option for people from Monfieth and Broughty Ferry to get to their places of work and education, and to access local services and leisure facilities.
“But it is important that we create a continuous network to/from communities and the city centre that is easy to find, safe and supported by the Green Circular and other quiet routes.
“This appointment is recognition that we want to investigate how we can make it similarly simple for people to come into the centre from communities in the north of Dundee.”
Described as an “active freeway” the concept aims to encourage people to make their journeys by walking, wheeling and cycling by providing active travel infrastructure on high-demand travel routes.
Kevin Cordell the council’s cycling spokesperson added: “An active freeway along the Lochee Road/Coupar Angus Road corridor would not only make a substantial contribution to the city’s health and wellbeing, it would help to achieve our wider climate commitments and further improve local air quality.”
The £72,479 funding for the work will come from TACTRAN and Dundee City Council.
If the city development committee, which meets on Monday (JUNE 27) agrees the contract, it is expected that work on the study will be completed within six months.
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%.
