ABOUT

About the Broughty Ferry and Monifieth Active Travel Improvements project

Work has been ongoing since 2019 to develop proposals to improve the NCN-01 coastal path between Broughty Ferry Castle and Monifieth.

With a budget of £18 million, the scheme will deliver transformational improvements for active travel in the area, creating a high quality and fully inclusive walking and cycling route, with associated public realm, biodiversity and landscape enhancements.

Whether a local resident, a day visitor or travelling through, the scheme will enable many more people to be able to access and enjoy the stunning coastline in the area.

The map below shows how the scheme connects to the wider National Cycle Network Route 1 from Dundee, providing a continuous connection to Monifieth.

Our project covers the section of route from Castle Approach, Broughty Ferry to Marine Drive, Monifieth. The section of route going westwards from Castle Approach to Douglas Terrace was upgraded as part of the Broughty Ferry Flood Protection Scheme.

The scheme is funded by Transport Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, administered by Sustrans Scotland. Anticipated project timescales are shown below :

Feasibility Study / Initial Options: 2018-2019

Concept Design: 2019-2020

Developed / Technical Design: 2020-2021

Construction commences: 2021

Scheme Complete: Spring 2025

Over the autumn and winter of 2019 – 2020, around 600 people provided feedback on the draft concept designs. The feedback showed that there is strong support for the scheme, with 97% of people in favour of upgrading the coastal path, and over three-quarters of people supporting the concept designs presented.

A draft updated masterplan has been prepared based on the feedback received; this was submitted to Sustrans and £18 million was awarded to progress the project to the Technical Design and Construction stages.  You can view the resulting updated plans on The Plans page and the latest construction updates in News and Events.

Frequently Asked Questions

To deliver transformational improvements for active travel in the area, creating a high quality and fully inclusive walking and cycling route, with associated public realm, biodiversity and landscape enhancements. With the scope to allow local residents, a day visitor or passing traveller to be able to access and enjoy the stunning coastline in the area.

With a budget of £18 million the scheme is funded by Transport Scotland’s Places for Everyone programme, administered by Sustrans Scotland. More information about this can be found at Places for Everyone – Sustrans.org.uk

The proposed route will provide approximately 2.5 miles of high-quality footway and cycleway from Castle Approach, Broughty Ferry to Marine Drive, Monifieth. A map showing the proposed route is highlighted on the “About” page.

Over the autumn and winter of 2019-2020, around 600 people provided feedback on the draft concept designs. The feedback showed that there is strong support for the scheme, with 97% in favour of upgrading the coastal path, and over 75% of people supporting the concept designs presented. After further design work taking into account comments made, updated plans were submitted and engagement events took place to gather feedback during 2020. Plans have now been finalised and construction started along the main route in 2022.

It will create a continuous, off-road walking and cycling route that can be enjoyed by people making longer-distance journeys and for many more in the local community. This project is also seeking to improve access to the NCN-01. This project also benefits the community by providing high quality walking and cycling route along one of the most naturally beautiful locations to walk, cycle and exercise in the area. This project will improve accessibility to Broughty Ferry Beach and encourage more people to be active and to enjoy the facilities in the area.

There will be street lighting with LED luminaries installed along the length of this route, these will be 6m high columns and will be installed within the verges adjacent to the paths along the walkway. New crossing points along the length of the Esplanade to ensure safe crossing. New safe road crossing point and vehicle turning circle where the path meets Marine Drive. Widened shared use path (4-5m) at sections and segregated two-way cycleway and a 2m footway on the esplanade (more info on The Proposals page). Ensuring that the route will be accessible and safe to walk or cycle at any time of day.

The project will involve a number of improvements to the local wildlife and biodiversity in the area. This will include landscaping and grassland/wildflower planting to create new maritime grassland habitat or the creation of new dunes and improved protection of existing dunes. This also includes removal of invasive plant species.

The project has been designed accounting for the Firth of Tay’s status as a Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and a Special Protection Area (SPA) to ensure the proposals meet regulatory environmental and conservation requirements. Key statutory and legislative stakeholders such as SEPA, NatureScot and Marine Scotland are fully appraised of the scheme.

The proposals were also assessed by an independent Environmental Consultant, who undertook a Report to Inform an Appropriate Assessment (RIAA). This involved an analysis of the existing environmental features of the area and compared these against the proposals for the project. This report also considered the individual effects on the various species in the area and proposed mitigation measures. These measures have either been embedded into the permanent design or are constraints placed on the contractor’s programme and working methods. For example, the report highlighted areas of low biodiversity such as the grassed area west of the Balmossie pumping station and these will be enhanced with wildflower planting as part of the scheme. Similarly, the survey encountered detrimental areas of invasive plant species along the route which will be replaced with appropriate native planting, again with biodiversity improvements. The reporting also confirmed that a planned change in alignment of the current route, with associated plant screening, would provide a long-term benefit to bird-roosting in the area near the Balmossie stormwater outlet.

In summary, the RIAA concluded that, for potentially adversely affected features, habitat and species-specific mitigation measures in place for the project will ensure that the conservation objectives of the SAC and SPA will be met during and after construction. It further concluded that the proposals will not have an adverse effect on the integrity of the SAC or SPA.

The proposed designs for the length of the route are available under “The Proposals” section of this website.

The proposed work will increase the accessibility of the route, with the inclusion of a new ramp with improved access to shared use path on Balmossie Bridge. There will also be improved access along the length of the route to the beach. This will allow more people to enjoy the new cycleway and footway. New improved access will be provided to Castle Green, Windmill Gardens and Castle Terrace Gardens to promote the facilities in these areas.

A broad range of crossing improvements (including signalised crossings, footway build-outs and raised tables) are proposed along The Esplanade and on key roads leading to the coastal path.

The purpose of the project is to encourage and attract more individuals to walk, cycle and use public transport to access the facilities in the area. There will be some loss of parking, however the existing parking facilities are suitable for every day use and on busier days it is envisaged that more people will take advantage of the active travel provisions.

The sections of the route that are shared-use paths will be 4 to 5m-wide, allowing for a safer environment for both cyclists and pedestrians.  Where distinct cycleway and footway are provided, the paths will be designated by different material palettes and separated by a kerb upstand (the footway will be slightly higher than the cycleway), in line with national guidance.

A range of artwork installations, interpretation panels, cycle parking and other street furniture are proposed for the length of this route with the involvement of local and community artists to support the development of these. Already electric bike facilities have been provided by Ride-On at Windmill and Queen Street carparks.

Works have already commenced at the Balmossie to Seven Arches link path and new lighting will be installed at the Stannergate to Douglas Terrace shared path in 2021. The construction on the major works from Broughty Castle to Monifieth is due to commence in 2022, with completion of the scheme by the end of 2024. There is an infographic with more information about the timescales present on the About page.

Regular updates on the progress of the works will be issued on this website, residents who will be directly affected by the works will be notified in advance and contact details provided for any concerns that may arise.

Yes, we welcome any feedback positive or negative to help us to improve the facilities being provided. Whilst the strategic plans are well developed, reasonable comments on how we may improve the designs will be considered.

The website will remain live after construction and our engagement team will continue to monitor the project’s success. If we find opportunities to improve on the designs, post construction, then these can still be implemented.