Arbroath’s £14m active travel scheme finally gets spades in the ground

Pictured at the sod-cutting ceremony are (l-r) Tom Truesdale, Councillor Beth Whiteside, Councillor Serena Cowdy, Carole Patrick, Craig Cameron and Keith Mcdonald.

Work on Arbroath’s £14m active travel scheme has finally got underway – five years after the Angus town secured funding for the ambitious project.

Contractors on Wednesday started work on the development of a new accessible walking, wheeling and cycling route through Arbroath.

The “once-in-a-lifetime” scheme has been designed to bring together the two sides of the town split by Burnside Drive.

The town’s landscape will be transformed as the A92 undergoes a monumental overhaul – making it the most substantial infrastructure project Arbroath has seen in recent memory.

National charity Sustrans will fund more than £10m of the cost after the projected figure increased.

Angus Council is ploughing £4m into the multi-million-pound project.

Months of delays

The bid, which has proved controversial since its inception, will reduce the existing dual carriageway to a single lane in each direction.

The project has been plagued with months of delays.

Construction heavyweight Balfour Beatty is the contractor for the project, which had been due to start in January this year.

However contractual problems led the council to delay the project for months.

It’s also been half-a-decade since the Angus town secured funding for the bid in a Scottish Government programme

Construction is scheduled for completion in early Autumn 2025.

Private sod-cutting

Angus councillors and officials oversaw the start of the works at a private sod-cutting event, with elected members expressing excitement for the project.

Councillor Serena Cowdy said: “Today’s milestone marks several years of consultation, planning and effort to create an ambitious project that will make Arbroath a more desirable place to live in, work in and to visit.

“Improving our towns and communities, making them a greener and more accessible place to live and encouraging a low carbon lifestyle is a vital part of the longer-term future for the whole of Angus.”

Carole Patrick, portfolio director for Sustrans 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.”

A fly-through video, produced by design consultants Arcadis, shows the changes along the whole route.