Welcome & introductions
Gavin Clark (GC) (Chair), Fiona McDonald (FM), Rachel Martin (RM), Scott Murray (SM), John Alie Johnston (AJ), Deema Aburizik (DA), Alistair Gilmore (AG), Kathryn Hardacre (KH)
Apologies: Shona Clark
Note of previous meeting (24th June 2025)
Accepted & on website
Liaison with Aberdeen City Council
Quarterly liaison meeting
GC & RM attended meeting with ACC councillors & officers.
Funding – we asked why ACC is not successful at getting more money from Scot Government to fund cycle infrastructure projects; No satisfactory answer to this. ACC seem to feel hard done by, as most of the money seems to go to ‘central belt’ projects. However, we know they did not submit any application to the most recent round, because they had no projects were well enough developed to be eligible. So is there a bottle-neck with development & design?
GC asked if money could be used from the bus lane enforcement and LEZ fines to fund cycle infrastructure (significant amounts, in the region of £2M, unspent at present). ACC said this money can’t be relied on as income source as should reduce significantly as people get used to the measures. They also insisted that steps are being taken to improve the allocation of these funds and a new system has been put in place.
We had again cited the Murcar to Blackdog project as an example of unsatisfactory rate of progress.
GC had asked if anyone from ACC will be attending the Cycling Scotland conference in Dundee in a professional capacity. No one in the meeting knew the answer. We suggested it would be useful.
Various traffic measures including Parking on pavement – 6 exemptions have been out to formal consultation. We made representations at a previous stage but did not make a formal objection. We understand there have been other objections to at least some of the proposed exemptions, so the proposed Order will go back to NZET for a decision in September. Our previous letter of representation should go on the website.
Aberdeen Rapid Transport – plans to create rapid bus links into the city centre from Craibstone/Bridge of Don, Westhill via Langstracht and Cove via Wellington Rd. The business case which had recently gone to NESTRANS board and NZET did identify cycle infrastructure as a key part of the project, but also allocated significant costs to it because of the need to redesign major junctions to accommodate segregated cycling. GC raised concern that additional cycle infrastructure will be the first thing to get shelved if funding is tight. ACC reassured this would not be the case. Likely to be another paper to NESTRANs board in September – ACF may need to make representation.
Universal Bike Hire – currently out for tender but hoped that a new scheme may be in place by the end of this year. Likely to be similar in operation to the previous Big Issue bikes scheme. GC and RM had been approached and met with a rep from one company who were looking at bidding.
Next liaison meeting will be Fri 14th November 11 – 12. GC can’t attend. RM, DA and KH available and willing to attend.
Transport Users’ Partnership (ACTUP)
Two meetings since June. Stagecoach have a new ‘bikes on buses’ service – ACF have agreed to help promote. Welcome scheme but a bit limited in capacity and scope. To run over winter with potential to increase capacity in the spring/summer, depending on uptake and monitoring of success. AJ has taken his bike on buses to Inverness & Dundee quite a few times and has recently been able to take to Glasgow. Difficult to take to Banff – not able to put on a double decker. New scheme will include double deckers only – Deeside 201 & 202 services and 35 corridor to Banff & Elgin. Unfortunately not all buses on the service will take the bikes. Small fold-down rack to hold bikes inside the bus in space behind stairs.
GC feedback thoughts on engagement via ACTUP with Tall Ships event team.
There was a quick summary given by the NESTRANS rep that the Regional Active Travel Network (RATN) would be presented to their Board meeting in September. We have inputted to this via several meetings with the consultants working on it, but it is over a year since we heard anything.
Consultations
Castlegate – GC, AJ, DV & Linda Moreno met to see the designs & were told why shared use design was required. ACF had been challenging on grounds that ACC had said they wouldn’t create more shared space, but rationale here seems to be that the area will be ‘civic space’ rather than a road or a cycle path. There won’t be cycle lanes across Castlegate and at this stage it was clear they are not going to change plans. Plans now approved by ACC. Construction due to start fairly soon. AJ thinks should be a big improvement. GC highlighted that the service road has no impediment to stop anyone driving down and parking illegally – no barrier, no ANPR. We cited examples from other streets (Belmont St, Loch St) where supposed pedestrian areas are widley abused, but ACC seem to think this won’t be an issue, although GC thinks it is naively optimistic.
Call for ideas re local development plan – consultation live requesting suggestions, proposals or creative ideas to help shape and inform next Aberdeen City local development plan. Can click through to map and drop pin and highlight an issue that needs dealt with. It was agreed that key locations where cycle infrastructure needs improved include Queens Rd & Albyn Place, King St, Market St & crossing between Langstracht & Anderson Drive. Members requested to respond individually.
https://aberdeenldp.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/v3/call-for-ideas?step=step1
Events and activities
Litter pick
Small group (9) made a real difference
Sustrans WACI
AG volunteered for a case study. RM & GC did some photos next to ACF murals on Deeside Way.
Celebrate Aberdeen parade – Sat 23rd Aug
8 cyclists & 2 banner holders. First time ACF has attended. Free to join & free banner. Positive experience. Should get notified next May about next parade. Could plan earlier for next year – fancy dress/fancy bikes? AG suggested putting photos on Facebook and tagging Celebrate Aberdeen and Cycling Without Age (CWA) to widen audience.
Cycling Scotland conference (10 Sept)
GC has applied for a stand. AG, KH & DA will also attend. Breakout session titled “Delivery of cycling infrastructure networks by local authorities and others: successes and challenges.” should be useful.
Enviroloution (20 Sept) we attended last year along with SUSTRANS but we don’t think they are attending this year and we don’t have resources to do it by ourselves.
Climate Week North-East (20 Sep to 5 Oct)
Full programme of environmentally themed events. Should ACF organise something – ideas welcome?
AJ has recently been to an MSP surgery with Kevin Stewart, Aberdeen Central. Had 15min – main point KS made was that if more cycle lanes were built it could annoy the majority (motorists) and make them more likely to vote for radical or reactionary politicians.
“My Ride, Our right” (22 Oct)
Cycling UK are organising this across the country – semi-organised rides at night with a focus on illumination. GC to contact Fraser and ask if local group is organising something.
Any other business
RM has received a query about where to hire a cargo bike. NESTRANs had a scheme a couple of years ago that you could hire one for a week. Sustrans also had a project but it folded due to lack of funding. Suggest contacting Fraser at Cycling UK, Seaton and Jon Barron. DA stated that there are bike libraries in other cities – usually for e-bikes. Often bike shops will offer this in partnership and hope that you will buy eventually. In Vermont, the city has ways to fund the cargo bike purchase as well. Would Aberdeen Sports Village be a good potential location for this?
Art roots funding is available again – RM not keen to progress due to graffiti on recent artwork but there was a suggestion that some art on Union St once the new cycle lane is built might be a good place if on NCN.
Date of next meeting (provisionally Tues 30 Sept)
Aberdeen Cycle Forum 