Aberdeen Cycle Forum Meeting 28th May 2024

Attendees: Gavin Clark (Chair), Rachel Martin, Francesco Sani, Alastair Cassels, Peter Jeffels, Fiona McDonald.

Tim Steiner from Jacobs is a guest speaker this evening and has a presentation about the Regional Active Travel Network. The plan is to make the case for investing in active travel, get funding, and deliver projects. This is a Nestrans vision to develop a plan for a network around funding and governance – for active travel so not just cycling (walking, wheeling, cycling). 

Working on defining a network of routes across Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire both within and between communities. Want to set out the network as a vision for change. It’s a high level view (no details) and the hope is the links being proposed are feasible. Want to know if the connections are right and if it’s ambitious enough. People can read more about the plans and give feedback at until 2nd June:

https://www.nestrans.org.uk/projects/cycling-walking-safety/regional-active-travel-network/

It’s a multi-decade project. They’re not going to prioritise which parts should be done first. The goal is to broadly radiate from the city centre and give priority to low socioeconomic areas of the city to ensure they have access to cheap transport options.

Rachel asks why if the remit is active travel then how come the plans would focus on buses? Gavin asks whether mixed traffic streets like Holburn and King Street could ever have traffic speeds low enough to support active travel. The same applies to Lang Stracht.  We feel these streets could benefit from a segregated cycle path and would like to see that in the plans. In discussion Tim admitted that some compromise is needed on key routes where there are buses and HGVs (such as King St), and that cyclists might use an alternate route instead.  Gavin pointed out that the work is supposedly being done consistent with Cycling by Design and CbD says routes should be direct.  Tim acknowledged the position of cycling in the travel hierarchy but said that can’t trump everything.

Gavin then talks about routes in Aberdeenshire and asks how to share feedback about good quiet routes. Tim says the survey tab on the feedback page will allow you to add comments directly to the map. Tim says the regional network is quite challenging as it quickly becomes very expensive to create miles and miles and miles of paths. Gavin says one of our members was asking about connections on the A96 corridor – as it goes over Tyrebagger it’s shown as a primary street (implies a segregated route).

Tim also advised that although the consultation was due to close on 2nd June it is likely to be extended until the 30th.

Consultations

Aberdeen City Council Liaison meeting

The meeting was Friday before last. We discussed potentially making Wellington Road from Craigshaw Drive to Ikea a shared-use path temporarily. They’re going to look into it. There was also a discussion about what LEZ revenue will go towards and it has to be air quality projects. Also raised the issue about the Westhill Junction. We didn’t get an answer on the spot.  The action log hadn’t been updated before the meeting by ACC, due to a staff-member being absent, so we didn’t get much update on all the points we have raised previously which was disappointing.  It was promised we would get an update soon.

Events and activities

  • Best in cycling awards launching in June and run through June – July then judge in August followed by a special event in September. 
  • Litter pick planned for August. Fiona suggested Union Street. Gavin suggested St Fitticks. Rachel suggested Torry Battery or Bon Accord Terrace Gardens. To be decided closer to the date.

Next meeting

25th June 2024