Campaigners have won their fight for a regular bus service to be reintroduced linking Barnhill and Forthill with the centre of Broughty Ferry.
Changes made to the National Express Dundee timetable last year resulted in the number 5 service missing out on central Broughty Ferry, leaving many elderly and infirm residents unable to easily access the shopping district.
From August 15, as a result of the many representations made and after a review of the entire bus network, Dundee City Council will introduce a Broughty Ferry “shuttle” bus that will operate Monday to Saturday from 9am to 3pm.
Its route will take it from Ethiebeaton Park to Strips of Craigie Road via Barnhill, Forthill, central Broughty Ferry and West Ferry. The shuttle bus is to be fully subsidised by the local authority and will be operated on its behalf by National Express Dundee.
Ferry councillors Rod Wallace and Derek Scott, who have been at the forefront of the campaign, welcomed the news.
Mr Wallace said, “It will allow residents the ability to enjoy the many facilities in Broughty Ferry without having to negotiate hills and bridges to get there.”
Mr Scott said, “This is great news as we have been urging the council to support a Broughty shuttle bus for some time. It will be a relief to the many people who have spoken to me about the problems they have encountered getting home from Broughty Ferry laden with shopping.
“The new service will operate on a wide loop, extending as far Craigiebank, so it has the potential to attract additional shoppers to Broughty Ferry, which will be a welcome boost to Broughty Ferry traders.”
Lawers Drive is to be included in the route and some of its residents have raised road safety concerns. At a meeting the councillors held with Phil Smith, the managing director of National Express Dundee, he agreed that all the drivers allocated to the route would be instructed to observe a maximum speed of 20mph when on Lawers Drive.
A safety barrier is also to be erected on the pavement at the entrance to the play park to prevent children or animals from running on to the road.