Dundee’s Perth Road is one of six routes under consideration for new city cycle lanes.
Initial plans show the whole length of Perth Road is one option up for consideration.
However, this would inevitably involve sacrificing on street parking.
A second option could see a cycle lane follow Hawkhill after reaching Sinderins.
We spoke to shopper Melpi Platani after she parked on Perth Road. She said choosing Hawkhill for a cycle lane made sense.
“If they took away the parking, the little shops around here wouldn’t be able to have people stopping.
“If it is on the Hawkhill, which is wider, sure. And then you can still park here.”
She adds that she is “supportive of cyclists”.
Perth Road option would be ‘horrific for shops’
At Fraser’s Fruit and Veg, owner Fraser Reid agrees.
“Hawkhill has wider areas to put in cycle paths. It’s got a huge pavement on the south side of it. So it seems a really obvious solution.”
He says the addition of cycle lanes on Hawkhill would make “no difference” to his business.
“Whereas the other one would make a massive difference to our business.
“I would imagine it would be horrific for shops to have something like that here.”
Fraser says past road closures had seen his business plummet by as much as 40%.
“It’s quite a noticeable number to be down when the cars can’t drive down or buses can’t access.
“Hawkhill’s just an easier place to do it.”
Shops have had ‘no consultation’ says Ian
Dundee City Council ran a public consultation on the initial plans towards the end of last year.
A council spokesperson said the next steps would be designing preferred routes and holding a further consultation.
But Ian Dunbar of West End Butchers says shop keepers should have been spoken to directly.
“We’ve had no consultation about this whatsoever.
“If you’re going to propose anything, why don’t you approach the people that it’s going to affect first?”
He says while Perth Road would be a “scenic route into Dundee” he would object if the cycle lanes were to run in front of his shop.
“It’s not just the shopkeepers and the businesses. It will affect the residents as well.
“I would object very strongly. If you block off any street, businesses will shut down and go somewhere else.”
‘Cyclists need better facilities’
Sue Steele says cycle lanes on the Perth Road could create problems.
“I’m not against cycle lanes in principle. I think cyclists need better facilities, which would also mean more people would cycle.
“But I’m not sure that it would work for this road.
“You’re going to get people parking illegally if that happens, and you’ll lose your cycle lane.”
However, Patric Lochi of Don Michele Italian Restaurant is more relaxed about the possibility of a cycle route outside his Perth Road premises.
“Cycling is always good.
“I cycle myself.
“It definitely would help the whole Perth Road.
“The parking here is only 45 minutes. So people come here, do their shop and then they leave.
“If someone wants to stay longer there’s a car park at the back. So I don’t think it would affect things too much.”
Conversation