As new homes in Dundee’s Western Gateway development are snapped up council chiefs have moved to clarify transport issues in and around the area.
Key to free movement of vehicles in the area are plans by developer Springfield and Transport Scotland to make improvements to the “Swallow” roundabout.
However away from the trunk road network Dundee City Council has already put in a considerable amount of investment to keep traffic flowing and improve access to the hundreds of new homes.
Mark Flynn, depute convener of Dundee City Council’s city development committee said: “Back in 2011 the council carried out works to Dykes of Gray Road including widening, a new drainage system and replacing the bridge over the Lochee Burn.
“As part of the work we also put in paths that are physically segregated from the traffic to create and maintain the feeling that you’re in the countryside.
“We made sure, even at that early stage that the new section of footpath linked with an existing one to the Kingsway with the intention that the developer would continue it all the way to the Swallow roundabout as part of the junction improvement
“That improvement will extend to the installation of traffic lights at the roundabout which will also mean that drivers will have better access into and from Dundee.
“The costs for all of this work is being recovered from Springfield.
“Roads in and around the development were specifically designed to allow a bus to travel through the site on an approved route and when the council gave the development planning permission one of the conditions we imposed was that discussions would take place between the developer and local bus operators about potential services.
“It is a bit disappointing that the outcome of the talks between Springfield and Xplore Dundee and Stagecoach, was that neither bus operator saw the benefit of providing a new or diverting an existing service to the area.
“The bottom line for me is that the council has done, and continues to do, all it can within its powers to allow residents and visitors to walk, cycle and drive to and from the Western Gateway in a safe and sustainable way.
“We have also helped to bring other major players together in an attempt to smooth out any wrinkles in the areas the council has no power in and to share our desire that anyone who lives in the Western Gateway has the best environment and transport options possible.”
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%.
