Project partners gathered this week in Arbroath to celebrate the beginning of construction a new and ambitious £14m walking, wheeling and cycling network set to transform active journeys across the town.
The moment the first spade was dug in commemoration of construction getting underway in Arbroath. Sustrans ©2024
On Wednesday 3 April, construction officially began on the landmark Arbroath A Place for Everyone project.
The £14m project is set to deliver a transformative network of all new walking, wheeling and cycling routes throughout the town.
£10.7m of the funds have been awarded through Sustrans Scotland’s Scottish Government-backed Places for Everyone programme.
The project aims to neatly link up key travel destinations, such as shopping areas and schools, as well as popular tourist sites.
The project will also conveniently tie with National Cycle Network Route 1, which runs along the seafront from Dundee and up to Aberdeen, further cementing links between settlements along the coast.
Backed by extensive engagement with the local community, Arbroath A Place For Everyone is expected to deliver a significant boost to the local economy through increased footfall to businesses and an uptick in visitors to the seafront.
Once completed, it is hoped by many that the project will serve as the backbone for future active travel initiatives in the area.
History in the making
Designs for Guthrie Port include tree and wildflower planting as well as public seating areas. Angus Council ©2023
The delivery of the Arbroath project has been anticipated by many for some time, with early community consultation dating back to 2015.
Financial support was initially received in 2019 via Sustrans’ Places for Everyone programme, which at the time made Arbroath the first town in Scotland to receive such a high level of funding through the Scottish Government-backed scheme.
Years of careful design and planning work, acting on feedback from the local community, was then carried out between the partnership of Sustrans, Angus Council, and Arcadis.
Following this process, proposals are now being taken forward to create:
- A new 1.5km, segregated cycleway alongside the A92 dual carriageway from the West Links area of the town to Arbroath Abbey, with a link-in to Brockock Bridge
- Redesigned junctions and crossings, making it safer and easier to walk, wheel and cycle
- New seating and landscapes, improving the accessibility of public spaces and encourage safer walking, wheeling and cycling options throughout the town.
The junction at Brockock Bridge includes a new bidirectional cycleway with strategic crossings. Angus Council ©2023
Current traffic levels showed that large parts of the project could be achieved by repurposing parts of the A92 dual carriageway, which has long created a sense of division across Arbroath.
Working in tandem with the local community, the proposed designs were gradually enhanced.
These enhancements included the introduction of temporary trial measures in 2021 to help those living and working in the town get a feel for the project.
Celebrating strong partnership
Despite a persistent downpour outside the Signal Tower Museum, the first spade was determinedly dug in by Angus Council Leader Councillor Beth Whiteside.
Carole Patrick, Portfolio Director for Sustrans, was witness to the big moment, and said:
“We’re overjoyed to see construction starting on this fantastic project.
“By delivering new cycle lanes, tree and wildflower planting, as well as paved seating areas in the town, people living and working in Arbroath will be able to walk, wheel and cycle safely, whilst also enjoying a more relaxed and attractive environment.”
They were joined by Active Travel Spokesperson Councillor Serena Cowdy, as well as Contracts Manager for Balfour Beatty Keith McDonald and Project Manager for Balfour Beatty Tom Truesdale.
There’s a great deal to look forward to over the next year as the project truly starts to take shape, with construction set to be complete by the end of 2025.
