Latest news with #SteveFinan
The Courier
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- The Courier
CATHERINE WYKES: Steve Finan is wrong – this is why Dundee needs active travel infrastructure
Active travel is far from being a daft idea – our city can't afford not to invest in it. On behalf of Dundee Cycling Forum, I'd like to respond to Steve Finan's recent column in which he wrote: 'For years we've been fed the myth that everyone aches to commute by bike and only a pesky lack of infrastructure stops them. 'If that were true, people would spontaneously abandon car travel and use existing roads to cycle upon, crowding cars out.' Steve asks what sort of person thinks billions should be spent to indulge a minority hobby. I don't know anyone who thinks that – but I do believe Dundee should invest in active travel, so let me introduce myself, Steve. I'm an out of shape, middle-aged woman and I bought a bike 10 years ago to get a bit of fresh air and exercise. I didn't consider using it for transport. Faced with busy roads and no joined-up cycling routes, why would I? But then the penny dropped. My journey to work was only three miles, and with a bit of careful planning I could cobble together a route using residential streets and the odd bit of cycle path. Now I have a cheap, healthy way to get about and start the working day feeling more alert. I know I'm an exception though. In the UK, women make half as many trips by bike as men and are more likely to be put off cycling by a fear of heavy traffic. Steve's claim that people would use existing roads to cycle if they wanted to isn't what people tell me when they say I'm brave to do it. It's true that technology marches forward, especially where there's money to be made. There's a reason the car industry spends billions annually on advertising, telling us that cars equal freedom when the reality is often very different. In a 1921 Nobel lecture, Christian Lange observed that technology is a useful servant but a dangerous master. We've built a car dependent society where your opportunities are restricted if you can't drive, and car ownership places a financial burden on households who could well do without it. And what about young people? Don't our kids and grandkids deserve the freedom to travel independently as we once did? Change doesn't bring the past around, but it can bring a fairer, safer, healthier future where we all have real freedom to choose how we get about. Cars will still have a place, but as servant, not master. We'll use them only when they're the right tool for the job. Can it happen? The signs are encouraging, with Glasgow's South City Way and Edinburgh's City Centre West to East Link seeing significant increases in people cycling. Dundee could absolutely reap the same rewards as the many cities around the world who've invested in active travel, typically seeing a return on investment of more than £5 per £1 spent. Several readers have noted the phenomenon of induced demand, where road building encourages more journeys, meaning any reduction in congestion is only ever short-lived. Spending millions on a bypass that wouldn't deliver any lasting benefits – now that really would be a daft idea.
The Courier
14-05-2025
- Sport
- The Courier
JIM SPENCE: Dundee FC should build new stadium at Caird Park if Camperdown plans fall through
Dundee FC should look at Caird Park for the site of their proposed new stadium. Cairdy v Campy has only one winner in my view. A lot of work has gone into the planning for the Camperdown site but, with the council closing the golf course at Cairdy, a much better solution to the long-running saga of the Dark Blues' new ground may just have opened up. Caird Park is a much more central location for most fans and it was already previously earmarked for a joint stadium when Scotland was bidding for Euro 2008. City rivals Dundee and United agreed to put rivalries aside and build a 30,000-seater stadium there costing £30 million as part of Scotland's bid to host the tournament. The Courier reported at the time that one of the main hurdles was the legally-binding conditions which made it clear the land was to be used only as a public park and for recreational purposes for 'all time coming'. But if there were potential ways around that roadblock, then there may be detours available now too. The golfers at Caird Park also objected but that's no longer an issue with the course closed by the short-sightedness of the council. Road and access issues would obviously have to be overcome, just as they would at Camperdown, but those cannot be insurmountable. As my fellow columnist Steve Finan pointed out, the council appears clueless as to any future use for the park so why not take the opportunity to make the most of it for a modern age and bring a new stadium into a central location? With Dundee City Council retreating from providing any golf facilities in the city, they appear to have limited interest in providing sports facilities. Why not accept that private provision or perhaps a partnership with Dundee FC may be a solution here? It would make far more sense to utilise Caird Park as a sporting hub (The Regional Performance Centre and the Mark Stewart Velodrome already occupy part of the park) than leaving it to become an overgrown wasteland for car thieves and joyriders. With a hotel, crematorium and housing in the plans anyway for the Camperdown site, it would still provide an economic lift for the city. An obvious, and sensible, proposal – just like the 2008 plans – would be for both city clubs to share any new ground but that ship has long since sailed. The parochial thinking and small-mindedness which bedevils Scotland means that's a non-starter, despite the obvious common sense of such a project. However, there's more than sufficient room to incorporate new training facilities, which could also be used by the public. Dundee and the council have already agreed to such a proposal at Riverside but Caird Park would be a better base than the west end of the city. Cairdy would also solve the parking problems attached to the Camperdown project, with a huge amount of space available to facilitate cars and coaches. As a city we've too often lacked ambition. The site at Camperdown is a small footprint to squeeze all the elements of the new Dundee stadium into, but Caird Park could accommodate them with room to spare. It may be that Camperdown is too far advanced to renege on it now. If there is still time, though, Caird Park is a far better solution for a new stadium.
The Courier
08-05-2025
- The Courier
Readers react to Dundee bypass idea amid A90 delays
Readers have had their say on a Dundee bypass after the idea resurfaced following chaos at the Swallow Roundabout. New traffic lights at the junction have caused long delays, while road markings and signs have caused confusion. Some, including The Courier's columnist Steve Finan, believe a bypass is the obvious solution to reducing congestion here and on the Kingsway. After The Courier explained the history of the bypass idea and why one has never been built, readers had their say on the proposal. Dundee bypass would 'unlock economic potential' Several readers have thrown their support behind a bypass, citing the benefits it could bring to Dundee and north-east Scotland. Courier website user 'Detective Pikachu' said: 'Any proposed Dundee bypass will come with upfront costs, but the long-term economic and infrastructural benefits far outweigh the short-term costs. 'We should view it as an investment in connectivity and prosperity for the entire region. 'A bypass would ease congestion in Dundee, improve freight and commuter flow, and unlock economic potential not just for the city, but for northern towns and even Aberdeen.' The AWPR Aberdeen bypass has cut journey times for traffic in the north-east. Image: Darrel Benns/DC Thomson Others cited the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) as an example of the benefits a Dundee bypass could bring. The final stretch of the AWPR opened in February 2019. 'JP's Ghost' wrote: 'This Dundee western bypass ought to have been a joined-up project together with Aberdeen's AWPR project, which has made a huge difference to traffic all over the Aberdeen area. 'It took 20 minutes off my pre-retirement, 90-minute commute into the south side industrial estate from western Aberdeenshire and 30 minutes off my Dundee to centre of Aberdeen trips.' 'Dundee badly needs this bypass' There has also been criticism of the existing Kingsway and its suitability as an outer ring road. 'Claypotts boy' likened the road – which is also called the A90 – to a 'horse and cart track'. Meanwhile, 'Karen' said: 'Dundee badly needs this bypass. 'The A90 is a nightmare, especially since free-flowing roundabouts at Swallow, Morrisons and Forfar Road have been removed. 'The Swallow 'improvement' just strangles traffic flow, reducing eastbound traffic to one lane. It's very badly designed.' A map showing the approximate route a bypass could take. Image: DC Thomson 'Guthrie' posted: 'It's a gap in the route between north-east Scotland and the rest of the UK.' Meanwhile, 'Ross' said: 'Wasting millions of pounds on 'upgrades' to the Kingsway etc isn't actually solving the problem and as time goes by it just gets worse and worse.' 'What's going on' said having 'better transport links' with free-flowing traffic was better than cars sitting 'idle' on multiple occasions on their journey across Dundee. Dundee bypass prompts environmental concerns However, some Courier readers oppose the idea of a Dundee bypass. A key concern is the impact the road would have on the countryside and the environment. 'Gphillips' said: 'Continuing to build huge roads, with massive environmental impact, is absolutely the wrong thing to be doing. 'For the cost of a bypass, you could install high-quality cycle routes on most roads in Dundee. 'That would do far more to relieve traffic and have far-reaching environmental, social and economic benefits.' Drivers have faced delays at the Swallow Roundabout since lights were introduced in March. Image: Ellidh Aitken/DC Thomson Other readers are not hopeful about the prospects of a bypass being built. 'Speug' said: 'Forget it – there would be thousands of objections to that route and it would cost billions.' 'Stewart B' wrote: 'Remember how long it took to get the Aberdeen bypass and the debacle of dualling the A9? 'I will not be holding my breath. '(I'm) pretty sure I will be pushing up the daisies before a Dundee bypass ever happens.' Should an alternative bypass route be considered? Others, including the Dundee Civic Trust, have called for an upgrade of existing roads that already bypass the city. The A94 connecting Perth to Forfar has been put forward as a possible option. Courier reader 'Stobie Ferret' is behind this idea, saying: 'Why not just upgrade the A94 from Perth to Forfar with a couple of much smaller bypasses around Coupar Angus and Meigle? 'Especially now you've got the new Tay crossing bypass onto the A94 at Perth.' 'Gregor McIntosh' proposed a different alternative, which would mean reversing some of the brutal Beeching cuts to railways in the 1960s. He said: 'How about (we) rebuild all the railways that got closed in the 60s rather than reinforce the already god awful car dependency in Dundee and Angus?'
The Courier
04-05-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Swallow Roundabout chaos: Why is there no Dundee bypass?
The topic of a Dundee bypass has raised its head once again after recent traffic chaos at the Swallow Roundabout. Drivers have faced long delays after the installation of traffic lights at the junction, while there has also been confusion over signs and road markings. That has led to hundreds of motorists complaining to the Scottish Government via a councillor. Some – including The Courier columnist Steve Finan – say a city bypass would be the obvious solution. So why has a Dundee bypass never been built? The Courier looks at the history of the proposal and what barriers it has met. The idea of a Dundee bypass to reduce traffic on the Kingsway has been on the cards for nearly two decades. A 2008 Scottish Government report outlined a 'Northern Peripheral Bypass' as one of two options to improve traffic. The other option was to upgrade the Kingsway's roundabouts and junctions. The report said a new road could leave the A90 to the west of Invergowrie and rejoin the A90 north of Dundee. It was estimated the bypass would cost between £250 million and £500m at that time. The report said a bypass could reduce Kingsway traffic by up to 50% and improve journey times between Aberdeen and the central belt by up to 15 minutes. The report also argued a bypass would be less expensive than making incremental improvements to the A90. Transport Scotland said at the time: 'The bypass route is expected to provide more value for money than the on-line upgrade.' However, the government body also acknowledged the bypass would likely 'introduce adverse environmental impacts' in the countryside north of Dundee. In January 2013, Dundee City Council and the Scottish Government said they would hold talks about a potential Dundee bypass. It prompted renewed calls in 2014 from Aberdeenshire and Aberdeen City transport partnership, Nestrans, for a Dundee bypass to be built. Then-Aberdeenshire councillor Peter Argyle told the Evening Telegraph he would back bypass plans. He said: 'If you're looking to have a good transport network, then having a major through-route from a particularly dynamic part of Scotland through to the central belt that passes through another city isn't ideal. 'A bypass would be hugely advantageous.' However, Dundee City Council said it wanted to focus on upgrading the Kingsway instead. In June 2014, the Scottish Government published The National Planning Framework 3. It once again outlined plans for a bypass as part of Dundee's regeneration. The Courier reported how the framework had suggested how a 'new alignment bypassing the city' could be an option for upgrading the A90. A reader's letter published in the Evening Telegraph in February 2019 said: 'If one travels north from London, the first set of traffic lights and congestion is at Dundee. 'The Aberdeen bypass is almost complete now, leaving Dundee as the only city between London and Aberdeen without a proper bypass.' In July that year, The Courier also reported how a crash on the A90 had caused traffic chaos and prompted further calls for a bypass. Kevin Keenan, leader of the council's opposition Labour group, said the issues showed the 'difficulties of not having a bypass outside the city'. In October 2019, The Courier reported how plans for a bypass to the north of Dundee were being reappraised by the Scottish Government. However, in December 2022, it was revealed the plans had been 'consigned to history' in the latest Scottish Government Strategic Transport Projects Review. This report called for road safety improvements to be made to the A90 between Perth and Aberdeen but did not mention a bypass. According to the report, Holyrood was instead getting behind an 'integrated transport plan' for the A90 in Dundee. The idea has not been back on the table since. Maurice Golden, Scottish Conservative MSP for the north-east, has previously spoken out in favour of a bypass. He believes the Scottish Government's decision to focus on improving the Kingsway was a mistake. He said: 'Dundee desperately needs an alternative like a bypass which would reduce emissions, ease congestion and improve quality of life. 'Dundonians look north and see the great impact the Aberdeen bypass has had and wonder why they've got nothing. 'The current state of affairs with traffic in Dundee is intolerable. 'This plan must be revisited as a key infrastructure priority. 'Electric cars and public transport need good quality roads too.' A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'We currently have no plans to take forward a Dundee northern bypass or relief road. 'An upgrade to the A90 Kingsway or a possible Dundee northern bypass was considered in 2022. 'But the supporting transport appraisal concluded that it would only bring modest benefits in comparison to the significant environmental and financial costs of a new road. 'The recommendation from the second Strategic Transport Projects Review was that further, more detailed work was required to develop a solution that delivered for both local residents and through-traffic.'
