The project spans 4km along the Tay Estuary from Broughty Ferry Castle to Blue Seaway Park in Monifieth. It includes widened 4-to-5-metre paths, a new 5-metre-wide bridge, and a 1.6km segregated cycle track along the esplanade. Enhancements include upgraded dunes, maritime grassland habitats, and wildflower meadows. Funded with £18 million from Transport Scotland through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme, the project promotes active travel and biodiversity.

 

 

Who is on the project team? (designer, consultants, etc)

 

Dundee City Council

Angus Council

SYSTRA ltd

MacLeod Consultants Ltd

McLaughlin and Harvey 

Tayside Contracts, Kilmac

JBA Consultants

Dundee Plant

Funding partners: Transport Scotland, Sustrans Scotland

 

Describe the context of this project and its neighbourhood and the community it serves?

 

The project’s route runs west to east for 4 km along the Tay Estuary from Broughty Ferry Castle to the Blue Seaway Park in Monifieth, serving the communities of Broughty Ferry and Monifieth, two suburban towns on the outskirts of Dundee. The retail centre of both towns is within 400m of the route, connecting them to each other and to Dundee city centre. Broughty Ferry Beachfront used to be a popular destination far beyond the Town or Dundee but is today often underused. This project provided opportunities to enhance the place and once again attract people from further afield to visit this stunning coastline, supporting the local economy. While preparing to undertake flood protection works in Broughty Ferry, Dundee City Council recognised there was an opportunity to link the work to active travel improvements and create a much-improved place for people. The flood protection works follow Route 1 along the coast and these improvements would be enhanced with footway widening and additional placemaking to increase the opportunities for walking, cycling and wheeling.

 

Tell us what you did and how it was designed and delivered.

 

The project, led by Dundee City Council and supported by Angus Council, delivered 4km of significant improvements for active travel, focusing on creating an inclusive walking and cycling route. Key enhancements included widening existing paths to 4-5 meters, constructing a new 5-meter-wide bridge, and a 1.6km segregated cycle track along the Esplanade. The project also reconnected a forgotten greenspace by closing a section of carriageway, introduced a new accessible ramp to the beach, and established a remote shared-use path along the coastline. Environmental enhancements featured upgraded dune structures, new maritime grassland habitats, and wildflower meadows. Public artworks, interpretative boards, and new seating were also installed, alongside improvements to key routes from town centres, schools, and residential areas. The project, costing £18 million, was funded by Transport Scotland through Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme, with additional funding from Dundee City Council. Community engagement was a critical component, led by SYSTRA, involving workshops with nearly 500 children, site meetings with local Access Groups, drop-in sessions, online surveys and various outreach activities. Communication was maintained through a dedicated project inbox, a website and a stakeholder contact list. 

 

What is the social and environmental impact of the project?

 

The project offers significant environmental and social benefits by enhancing connectivity, accessibility, and biodiversity along 4km of coastal path. Key benefits include the creation of a 1.6km segregated cycle track along the Esplanade, which provides a safe and direct route for cyclists and enables sustainable travel for local journeys, trips to the City Centre and long-distance cycle touring. The project also reconnects a forgotten greenspace, Windmill Gardens, by reallocating a section of the traffic gyratory for pedestrian and cyclist use, thus enhancing green space accessibility and reducing vehicular impact on the beachfront. Biodiversity gains are facilitated through extensive landscaping, the establishment of wildflower meadows, and the creation of new dunes, which improve the coastal habitat. The removal of invasive plant species and the introduction of native coastal grassland further support local ecosystems. Social benefits are achieved through improved access routes, including new crossings over the A930 and enhancements to lighting and surfacing, making the path more accessible to residents, schools, and town centres. The addition of ramps to the beach and a new 5m-wide bridge ensures accessibility for wheelchairs and mobility scooters.