Cycle Counter to be installed in Broughty Ferry

A continental-style cycle counter is set to be installed in Broughty Ferry following approval by Dundee City Council.

The “high-visiblity” cycle counter will be installed at the east end of the Douglas Terrace walkway along the waterfront and will provide a visual counter of the number of cyclists using the route.

A network of counters, inspired by those in countries such as Denmark, is being established across Scotland by sustainable transport charity Sustrans and Transport Scotland with the co-operation of local authorities. They gather data about cyclists that is used to plan new routes.

At present, Dundee and Aberdeen are the only cities in the country not to have a cycle counter, with Aberdeen’s set to be installed in the next few months.

Claire Daly, spokeswoman for Sustrans, said the idea behind cycle counters was to promote sustainable transport such as walking and cycling instead of driving.

In general, cycle counters have been shown to be motivational for cyclists and provide data that assists planning for cycling infrastructure.

Grove Academy Cycling Team Awarded Dundee Cyclathon Fundraising Cup 2016

Congratulations to the pupils from Grove Academy who last night were awarded the Fundraising Cup for the most money raised by a team who entered the Dundee Cyclathon. 

Back in September, this young team of cyclists completed a circuit of the 26 mile Green Circular route starting and finishing in Camperdown Park. Last night they were presented with the Fundrasing Cup by Lord Provost Bob Duncan at a Civic Reception for the cyclists/fundraisers and the organisers of the Cyclathon, Rotary Club of Claverhouse.

This is not the first occasion that a team of cyclists from Grove Academy, with staff support, have won this fundraising award. 

More Cycle Paths to Get Winter Maintenance 2016/17

At a meeting of the City Development Committee on Monday 26 September, the Committee was asked to confirm the Winter Maintenance programme for 2016/17; principally salting and gritting the roads and pavements. I asked for clarification about the Council's commitment to undertaking 'winter maintenance' on the principal off road cycle paths. The Head of Roads and Transportation confirmed that the pilot programme that extended salting and gritting to the Green Circular route between Broughty Ferry and Invergowrie in 2015/16 would be continued. This route had been chosen because it is the busiest all year cycle path used regularly by cycling commuters. Furthermore during the coming winter, this scheme would be extended to to other busy off-road cycle paths.

Are you Joining in National Cycle to Work Day on Wednesday 14 September 2016

Are you taking to two wheels on Wednesday 14 September which is the 2016 National Cycle to Work Day?

This is a UK event promoted by:

Cyclescheme UK, Cyclescheme Ireland and Halfords.

It aims to encourage everyone to take to two wheels on September 14th, 2016.

Link to UK Cycle to Work Day

National Cycle to Work Day - local event in Dundee City centre 8-9:30am on Wednesday 14 Sepemeber, 2016  
If you are cycling to work in Dundee City Centre on Wednesday morning pop into Henry's Coffee House in the City Square to get a free hot drink and pastry from 8am - 9:30am.

Ferry Bike Shop Cycling Challenge 23-24 July 2016

Can you get on your bike in The Ferry for the Tour de France Challenge and at the same time support the Wave 102 Help for Kids charity?

Alex Cooper, Director of The World of Cycles bike shop in The Ferry is challenging folk to raise money for Help for Kids by cycling in the same conditions as Le Tour de France during the final stage of the competition! Each person will be challenged to cycle for an hour on either Saturday 23rd or Sunday 24th July 2016, with various levels of conditions available to challenge everyone from beginners to experienced cyclists.

The challenge will take place at the World of Cycles store in Gray Street Broughty Ferry where experienced staff will be on hand to help and encourage riders. Le Tour de France will be on the big screen – plus Wave 102 will be live from the premises on Sunday 24th July. To finish off the celebrations, there will be special prizes awarded for various challenges completed – plus drinks and nibbles!

Limited places are available! Registration fee is £25, with additional fundraising opportunities and all the money raised will be donated to Help for Kids. Please pre-register your interest below and your place/time slot will be confirmed by email or telephone, please note that the registration fee will be required at this point.


Go to Wave 102's website to register www.wave102.co.uk

World of Cycles
57 Gray Street
Broughty Ferry DD5 2BJ
tel 0330 223 2254

LEPRA Edinburgh to St Andrews Cycle Ride Today

An early start today to ride the 68 miles from Edinburgh to St Andrews on the 36th annual LEPRA Cycle Ride. 

Each year up to 1,000 cyclists participate in this annual event which takes a lovely route via the Forth Road Bridge, over the Cleish Hills, swoops down to Kinross, skirts Loch Leven and then takes back roads from Falkland to St Andrews.

This year I'm riding with friend and former University colleague Geoffrey Wallace who is over from California for a holiday in the auld country.

LEPRA are a UK registered international charity focusing on leprosy, Their purpose is to enable children, women and men affected by neglected diseases to transform their lives and overcome poverty and prejudice. Working on the ground in India, Bangladesh and Mozambique they treat, educate and rehabilitate, and through this give a voice to people living on the margins of society. 

50+ mile Glasgow to Edinburgh Pedal for Scotland 2015 Completed

I did it! Leaving Glasgow Green at 10:25 on Sunday 6 September, I went over the finish line at Murrayfield Stadium at 16:05. 

The thousands of riders enjoyed favourable weather along the roads and miles and up and down the hills between Edinburgh and Glasgow. The coned off route made it a real pleasure to be cycling along many roads that would otherwise have been busy with cars and other vehicles on a Sunday.

Thanks are due for all the encouraging messages of support I received to help me on my way.

Thanks too are due to my very generous sponsors, they know who they are, who collectively helped me to raise £485 plus £91.25 Gift Aid at the last count.

But it's not too late to donate and help me exceed my target fundraising for the Tushinde Children's Trust; helping vulnerable children thrive in the sprawling Mathare slums in Nairobi, Kenya https://www.justgiving.com/Laurie-Bidwell7/

Please Sponsor me Pedaling the 50+ miles from Glasgow to Edinburgh on Sunday 6 September 2015

On Sunday 6 September 2015, I will be cycling the roads and miles from Glasgow Green to Murrayfield Stadium in Edinburgh. 

Please sponsor me and thereby help support the work of Tushinde Children’s Trust. 

Tushinde is a charity working to support over 300 vulnerable children who live in the sprawling Mathare slums in Nairobi. Tushinde provides food, family care and education to children from the poorest families in Mathare. They help families stay together by sharing the financial burden. Tushinde does this by raising money for the sponsorship of children, supporting schools as well as raising money for specific projects.

Please sponsor me
https://www.justgiving.com/Laurie-Bidwell7

Commenting on Shared Use Cycle and Pedestrian Pathway on Coupar Angus Road

I have received a detailed briefing about this proposal which has attracted matched funding from Sustrans.

This is a very positive development which will lead to the creation of an additional cycling route alongside the Coupar Angus Road from the Kingsway north to the boundary with Angus. I think it is well thought through and will provide links with cycle routes in the south at the Lochee Transport Hub and in the north with Muirhead and Birkhill. In fact, when Angus Council realise their aspiration for an off road cycletrack on a long stretch of the bed of the former Newtyle railway, there should be opportunities for a cycling route all the way to Newtyle.

This development will therefore see another shared use pathway for cycling and walking. In this instance, I hope that the relatively light current use by pedestrians will mean there should be less potential for future conflict between walkers and cyclists sharing the pathway. Recently, I was admiring the new signs at the beginning of the shared use coastal pathway between Douglas Terrace and the Stannergate. These signs urge all users to show consideration to each other. I assume that some of these will be deployed on this new shared use pathway.

Successful Cycling Engagement Event

Last night after attending Council Committee meetings in the main Council Chambers, I joined the latter part of the Cycling engagement event held in the Council's Committee rooms.

In the first event of its kind, close to seventy folk with an interest in cycling attended the event and took part in lively discussions in a round robin of three groups.


From this meeting, it is hoped a regular Cycling Forum will be formed. Participants were informed by staff from the Transportation Department that feedback from the initial event and subsequent meetings of the Cycling Forum will help inform future plans for cycling in our city.

On the basis of the turn out last night, I am optimistic that many of the interested individuals and organizations represented will want to sustain and develop their engagement with the Council's transportation department through participation in a Cycling Forum. 

Those folk who were not able to attend the meeting last night may send in their views or indicate their interest in being involved in future meetings of the Cycling Forum by emailing cycling@dundeecity.gov.uk

Cycling Consultation by City Council Monday 9 March

Click on image to enlarge

Cyclists from all over Dundee are invited to an engagement meeting with council chiefs. The meeting will take place at 14 City Square on Monday (March 9) at 6.30pm. 

It has been set up to help the creation of a cycling strategy for Dundee and it is hoped it could lead to regular discussions.

The Council is keen to hear from cyclists about the facilities, attitudes and issues surrounding their experiences of using their bikes in Dundee and hope to be able to develop that into a framework for maintaining and improving of all aspects of cycling in the city. 

Individual cyclists, cycling businesses and cycling groups have been invited to the event at 14 City Square to take part in discussions and workshops that will help shape the strategy document. As well as discussing the future strategy, it's hoped to establish a regular cycling forum that will establish and maintain dialogue between cyclists and the council. 

Looking at the 2013 report from Cycling Scotland, summarized in the diagram above, I think there is clearly room for improvement. It's miles better but there are miles to go. 

Hopefully this event and future meetings of the Forum will help Dundee become a city that has made the changes so that cycling in our city becomes a more positive option and more short journeys are made and enjoyed by bike instead of by car.

A new e-mail address - cycling@dundeecity.gov.uk - will allow cyclists to pass on feedback after the meeting.

Making Space for Cycling - Backing the Campaign

I received this email letter from a constituent earlier today

Dear Councillor Bidwell,

I am writing as a resident in your ward who is concerned about the quality of our streets for cycling.

Better designed streets that encourage people to cycle can improve our health and air quality, reduce casualties and create safer, more pleasant neighbourhoods.

Yet, 67% of people say they aren't confident cycling on busy roads.

More and more people want to cycle and the government has called for a ‘cycling revolution’.  Now’s the time to build on this momentum to create safer space for cycling.

Jon Snow, President of the Cyclists' Touring Club explains, Space for Cycling in this short (2 minute) video

I want to see our Council make protected space on our main roads, remove through traffic from residential streets, lower speeds limits and making our town centres cycle-friendly.

Please back the call for Space for Cycling

I am delighted to back this campaign to help improve the conditions for cycling in Dundee and thereby increase the number of short journeys taken by bike for work and leisure. Increasing the proportion of journeys by bike will also help to decrease emissions from car exhausts and through this enhance air quality.

Two Wheel Challenge in King Street

Is the stretch of King Street, just west of the junction with New Road and bordering Castle Green, the bumpiest section of adopted road in Broughty Ferry?

If you have cycled along this end of King Street you will have doubtless noticed that it's a bone shaker and a real challenge for all road users on two wheels.

I assume it's the poor sub-structure of the road which accounts for the extensiveness of the indentations and the rippled surface from kerb to kerb.

I have asked the Roads' Maintenance Partnership to investigate and respond with a comprehensive treatment.

Dundee Cycling Report Card - Some Good Progress But We Must Try Harder

Click on image to enlarge

A recent national report on Cycling in Scotland assessed the polices of each of the 32 local councils in Scotland. This assessment awarded the City Council an average score of two and a half stars from five. The summary report card is pictured. 

The Council's performance is rated as slightly stronger on 'Planning' and 'Monitoring' and relatively weaker on 'Action'. In fact the two star rating for 'Action' is the Council's lowest score.

The 1% modal share for cycling shows by implication that there is an enormous gulf between this performance and the target from the Scottish Government of 10% of short journeys by bike by 2020 to help meet carbon reduction targets.

Also significant and particularly disappointing are the very low scores of children cycling to school and those undertaking a Bikeabilty Scotland course, which is the replacement for the Cycling Proficiency Test that I tokk when I was at school. I don't think we can anticipate a significant future lift in cycling in our city if only two or three of our Primary Schools undertake this award.

More encouraging is the score for 'Households with Access to A Bicycle' at 23%. This shows that there are plenty of households with a bike who, with the right infrastructure and support, might be encouraged to get back on the saddle and ride their bikes rather than take short journeys in their cars. That would be good for the environment and personal health.

I will be raising the issues raised in this report with the Head of Transportation and the Director of Education.

 Read or Download the National Assessment Of Local Authority Cycling Policy

One of Britian's Best Bike Rides on Our Doorstep - Dundee to Arbroath

In May 2012 the Guardian newspaper featured the Dundee to Arbroath cycle route as one of 'Britian's Best Bike Rides'. It's right on our doorstep and I can confirm it is a real gem. Last week I took advantage of the warm weather and cycled the roads and miles from Broughty Ferry to Arbroath and back. 

The fact that most of the route is off road on shared paths for walkers and cyclists, makes this a relaxed ride and easy to appreciate the sea views. While there is little motorised traffic to worry about, on the sections between Broughty Ferry and Monifieth you do need to be really alert for pedestrians and dogs and of course other cyclists.

I particularly enjoyed the section from East Haven to Arbroath that has most recently been opened. The new route runs between the railway line and the beach. Note on the Sustrans map below, this part of the route is described as 'proposed'.

Congratulations to Dundee City Council and Angus Council for their joined up work with financial support from Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity.

Click on Map to enlarge

Here is how the Guardian describe the ride:
"This popular Scottish route is a lovely, flat, mainly traffic-free ride along the Tay estuary. Start from under the Tay road bridge (you'll need photo ID to get through the dock area, so if you don't have it, start from the east of the port). The route heads to Broughty Ferry, before hugging the sea to Monifieth. The route continues on a traffic-free path over Barry Links, with its low sand dunes (great for wildlife) and on to Carnoustie with superb views of the bay. The route finishes by Arbroath's historic harbour, famed for its Arbroath smokies (haddock smoked over burning woodchips)."

Read/download the Sustrans Leaflet Dundee to Arbroath

Dundee City of Cycling?

In the last fortnight, three events have made me think about the possibility of our city being declared:

Dundee City of Cycling.

1. Firstly, on Tuesday 30 October there was a Civic Reception for the folk who had raised money for charity while cycling the roads and paths round Dundee in the Annual Dundee Cyclathon back in early September;
2. The Proposed Dundee Local Development Plan (October 2012) was issued for consultation and
3. Bradley Wiggins was hospitalised after being knocked off his bike while out on a training ride near his home town of Chorley.

On Sunday 9 September, I took part in the annual Cyclathon organised by Claverhouse Rotary Club. I enjoyed the experience of cycling round the 26 miles of Dundee's Green Circular route and raising over £320 for my nominated charity Tushinde Children's Trust. Looking back, the ride was particularly enjoyable because a good proportion of the route is off road and of course I was cycling in the company of many others with the added reassurance of members of the Claverhouse Rotary Club acting as marshals at points where we crossed the road. I think these are important observations for our planners who are working to promote more sustainable transportation.

Survey's about Cycling identify that most households have a bike or two in the garage but all too rarely we take them them out on the road. One of the key reasons folk mention for not getting out on their bikes is the perceived sense of vulnerability on a bike on our roads. So when our Olympic Gold medalist and Tour de France winner, Bradley Wiggins, gets knocked off his bike, it confirms our concerns while perhaps emphasising that something should be done about this to make cycling safer.

This made the launch of the Proposed Dundee Local Development Plan (October 2012) of particular interest, especially as it's out for consultation. How will that plan help develop cycling in Dundee when even streak of lightning Wiggo can't avoid a crash and crushed ribs? How will the plan help us to encourage the tenfold increase in cycling for journeys of under two miles that would meet the target set by the Scottish Government? The aspiration of developing more sustainable transport is mentioned clearly in the plan and a number of measures are proposed for major new developments. Whilst that is positive, is it enough? I hope cycling and environmental interest groups will examine the Proposed Dundee Local Development Plan and respond during the consultation period.
Let's hope that for the sake of our environment, our waistlines, and safer cycling, we might soon be able to celebrate Dundee City of Cycling.

Safer Routes for Cycling Now on Google Maps

Click on map to enlarge

Finding a safer route to ride your bike is set to be easier as cycling routes are made available on UK Google Maps for the first time. This follows a collaboration between the UK charity Sustrans and Google.


In what is a ground-breaking move, National Cycle Network routes across the UK can now be navigated online using a new bicycle symbol on Google Maps, alongside the options of driving, public transport and walking.


Cyclists can now plan their trips, make use of bike lanes, calculate cycle-friendly routes that avoid big hills and customise the map for cycling on smart phones and computers.


My illustration above shows the results of my trying out this feature and asking for directions from my home postcode in The Ferry to my office in City Square. If you enlarge the screen shot from my computer you can clearly see the National Cycle Network routes marked and selected. I think many cyclists will find this a useful feature so that they can easily locate safer routes to cycle to work, school, shopping or for fun and fitness.


I also notice that Google Maps are inviting interested parties to help them develop their cycle maps by sending in details of cycle routes other than those that are part of the network of national cycle routes. I have written to the Director of Transportation to request that Dundee Travel Active are invited to input to Google Maps the detailed information they have on record about local cycle tracks and routes throughout the city.

National Bike Week 16-24 June 2012 - Events in Dundee

Saturday 16 June is the start of national Bike Week. Samsung Bike Week is an annual opportunity to promote cycling, and show how cycling can easily be part of everyday life by encouraging ‘everyday cycling for everyone’. 

Demonstrating the social, health and environmental benefits of cycling, the week aims to get people to give cycling a go all over the UK, whether this be for fun, as a means of getting around to the local shops, school, the library or just to visit friends.

As the biggest nationwide cycling event in the UK, Samsung Bike Week 16-24 June 2012 encourages over half a million people to join in events, rethink their everyday journeys and switch to cycling as the most convenient way to get around.

Find an event near you.

Could 'Trixi' Mirrors Save Lives in Dundee Streets?

Trixi mirrors are the latest road safety development to help keep cyclists safe on our roads. They can give drivers of large vehicles a view of their blind spot - the corridor down their left where cyclists become invisible.


They are named after Beatrix Willburger, a Swiss young woman who was killed by a lorry turning left. Her father has since promoted the use of the mirrors at junctions.


They are relatively low costs improvements requiring no wiring or digging up the highway to install. 


Right now Trixi mirrors are being trialled in London. I have written to Neil Gellatly, Head of Transportation in the City Council to ask him to keep an eye on the trial down south and consider installing these at busy junctions in the city.