diff --git a/source/package/adaptation_pathways/cli/plot_pathway_map.py b/source/package/adaptation_pathways/cli/plot_pathway_map.py
index 99a4604..3a7bdff 100644
--- a/source/package/adaptation_pathways/cli/plot_pathway_map.py
+++ b/source/package/adaptation_pathways/cli/plot_pathway_map.py
@@ -54,6 +54,20 @@ def plot_map(
     return 0
 
 
+def parse_spread(spread: str) -> tuple[float, float]:
+    spreads = spread.split(",")
+
+    if len(spreads) == 1:
+        result = float(spreads[0]), float(spreads[0])
+    else:
+        assert (
+            len(spreads) == 2
+        ), "Pass in a single floating point value, or two separated by a comma"
+        result = float(spreads[0]), float(spreads[1])
+
+    return result
+
+
 def main() -> int:
     command = os.path.basename(sys.argv[0])
     usage = f"""\
@@ -78,9 +92,13 @@ def main() -> int:
                        bit beyond the actual point
     --show_legend      Show legend
     --spread=<spread>  Separate overlapping lines by a percentage [0, 1] of
-                       the range passed in. A value of 0.01 means 1% of the
-                       range of x-coordinates. Passing in a value > 0.02 is
-                       likely not useful. [default: 0]
+                       the data range. A value of 0.01 means 1% of the
+                       range. Passing in a value > 0.02 is likely not useful.
+                       Pass in a tuple of hspread,vspread to separate between
+                       horizontal and vertical spread. Horizontal spread is
+                       about the separation of vertical lines (transitions).
+                       Vertical spread is about horizontal lines (actions).
+                       [default: 0]
     --title=<title>    Title
     --x_label=<label>  Label of x-axis
 
@@ -100,7 +118,7 @@ def main() -> int:
     x_label = arguments["--x_label"] if arguments["--x_label"] is not None else ""
     show_legend = arguments["--show_legend"]
     overshoot = arguments["--overshoot"]
-    overlapping_lines_spread = float(arguments["--spread"])
+    overlapping_lines_spread: tuple[float, float] = parse_spread(arguments["--spread"])
 
     plot_arguments: dict[str, typing.Any] = {
         "title": title,
diff --git a/source/package/adaptation_pathways/plot/pathway_map/classic.py b/source/package/adaptation_pathways/plot/pathway_map/classic.py
index 2743113..883722e 100644
--- a/source/package/adaptation_pathways/plot/pathway_map/classic.py
+++ b/source/package/adaptation_pathways/plot/pathway_map/classic.py
@@ -567,7 +567,7 @@ def _distribute_vertically(
 def _layout(
     pathway_map: PathwayMap,
     *,
-    overlapping_lines_spread: float,
+    overlapping_lines_spread: float | tuple[float, float],
 ) -> tuple[dict[ActionBegin | ActionEnd, np.ndarray], dict[str, float]]:
     """
     Layout that replicates the pathway map layout of the original (pre-2024) pathway generator
@@ -610,11 +610,18 @@ def _layout(
             pathway_map, root_action_begin, position_by_node
         )
 
-        if overlapping_lines_spread > 0:
-            _spread_horizontally(
-                pathway_map, position_by_node, overlapping_lines_spread
+        if not isinstance(overlapping_lines_spread, tuple):
+            overlapping_lines_spread = (
+                overlapping_lines_spread,
+                overlapping_lines_spread,
             )
-            _spread_vertically(pathway_map, position_by_node, overlapping_lines_spread)
+
+        horizontal_spread, vertical_spread = overlapping_lines_spread
+
+        if horizontal_spread > 0:
+            _spread_horizontally(pathway_map, position_by_node, horizontal_spread)
+        if vertical_spread > 0:
+            _spread_vertically(pathway_map, position_by_node, vertical_spread)
 
     return position_by_node, y_coordinate_by_action_name
 
@@ -633,7 +640,9 @@ def plot(
     if legend_arguments is None:
         legend_arguments = {}
 
-    overlapping_lines_spread: float = arguments.get("overlapping_lines_spread", 0)
+    overlapping_lines_spread: tuple[float, float] = arguments.get(
+        "overlapping_lines_spread", (0, 0)
+    )
 
     layout, y_coordinate_by_action_name = _layout(
         pathway_map, overlapping_lines_spread=overlapping_lines_spread