Aberdeen Cycle Forum Meeting 30th April 2024

Attendees: Gavin Clark (Chair), Rachel Martin (RM), Laurie Rominger (LR), Michelle Shortt (MS), John Barron (JB), Francesco Sani (FS)

Apologies: Daniel Verhamme, Alastair Cassels.

Note of previous meeting (March 2024) was accepted.

AGM business

Reports from outgoing officials

Treasurer – Clare Roberts

GC read out the treasurer’s report (attached at foot). Balance has reduced by approx. £400. Biggest expense was public liability insurance. If to continue to pay insurance annually will need to raise funds in next few years.

Chair – Gavin Clark

2024 reflections – included successful 20th Anniversary event where ACFs achievements were celebrated.  There has been better engagement with Aberdeen City Council in the last year with regular contact between Councillors Iain Yuill and Miranda Radley and ACF. Have now established an action list of issues reported to ACC that are tracked.  Sometimes feel lack of progress but acknowledge that improvements can take time.  Great to see work starting on the cycle path on Union St which will maybe eventually go all the way to beach.

Aberdeen draft Local Transport Strategy – took significant time to prepare our response but generally positive for cycling although ACF did send a 6 page response of comments back.  Will the delivery be as good?

Membership number is approx 630. Attendees asked to consider whether ACF should members to rejoin periodically – it is possible the membership list includes a significant number of inert people, although GC has periodically cleaned up the list by removing those from whom emails repeatedly bounce.  Disadvantage of asking to rejoin may be that membership declines significantly. Should aim to so during next year using appropriate technology and consider inviting people to make a donation when re-joining, but keep membership free. This was supported by attendees.

Willing to continue as Chair.  Also confirmed that Clare Roberts had indicated ahead of the meeting that she was willing to continue as Treasurer.

Press and Campaigns Secretary – Rachel Martin

RM reflected on organising the first meeting in February 2018 on Union Street to collect signatures for a petition to build a cycle path on Union Street and now 6 years later work has started – key success for ACF.  Less campaigns in last couple of years because ACC has been largely on board with active travel measures. 

RC has posted various articles on the ACF website plus the ‘Spotlight on a cyclist’ series and liaised with the Press. Finds meetings with councillors a useful forum for raising issues.

GC thanked RM for her work keeping the website up to date with minutes, agendas etc.

Secretary – Fiona McDonald

FM reported that she has taken the minutes at meetings, responded to consultations and attended a design meeting with consultants. Competing pressures on time but agreed to look at finding a good platform for enabling members to sign up each year.

GC thanked FM for her contribution.

All officers re-elected (unopposed)

 Contact with Aberdeen City Council

  1. Liaison meetings and issues list 

GC invited attendees to submit new issues (small or  large) at any time but noting our next liaison meeting is on 17 May.  Torry Community Hub bike shelter was identified as hopeless design due to a high, narrow roof and being open on all 4 sides.  Problems with junction of A944 at Westhill will be raised.  Any other issues should be emailed to GC/RM.

  1. ACTUP (city transport users’ partnership)

Gavin missed last meeting as away. Meeting prior to that had discussed works on Union St and whether cyclists would get access during this time.  First press release on traffic changes during Union St works did not mention cyclists. However, sign at end of road as of yesterday says that cyclists can use the lane east bound. 

Report circulated by Disability Equity Partnership by Living Streets on Bus Stop bypasses / island bus shelters. Likely to be discussed at next ACTUP meeting.

  1. Beach masterplan

RM & GC met with SYSTRA Consultants and Fiona Robertson and were given an introduction to designs but asked not to share. Generally quite pleased with proposals. Beach Boulevard will be changed to one lane for motor vehicles with one lane dedicated to a bidirectional cycle lane. Cycle crossing will be at pedestrian crossing on Commerce St to avoid the large roundabout. Beach Boulevard will no longer be a through route from Bridge of Don to Fittie but will be blocked off at the Beach Ballroom – except for cyclists/pedestrians. Car parking will be retained in front of restaurants. No time line – still at ideas stage.

  1. Consultations
  2. South Harbour Link Road  Aberdeen South Harbour Link Road Public Exhibition – Aberdeen City Council – Citizen Space

Main concern GC has fed back is a lack of thought about the junctions where the cycle lane crosses side roads. Consultation closes 6th May. Please feedback any comments to GC and/or complete survey.

  1. Department of Transport – ePAC regulations

Consultation now closed. Cycling UK thoughts were shared with members. Most cycling organisations are not in favour of the new proposals.  GC had submitted comments via the on-line response form.

  1. Regional Active Travel Network   
Regional Active Travel Network

Consultants came to speak to ACF a few months ago.  Now draft network is out for consultation.  Tim Steiner (Jacobs) will come back to ACF May meeting to explain more.  The network includes a map of Aberdeen City and Shire with roads/routes designated as specific categories. 

JB has championed this initiative at NESTRANs and thinks it is a hugely important document. This will be the first time there is a regional active travel network plan for the north east. Cycling by Design devotes a big section to this as deemed essential for planning future improvements to active travel infrastructure. Should enable routes to be joined and will facilitate prioritisation of pipeline projects and act as a catalyst for applying for national funding.

Members encouraged to look at the network prior to next meeting.

  1. Infrastructure

Union St – work is now getting underway for segregated cycle path. Construction company did not initially want cyclists to use the one lane that will still be open on Union St due to safety concerns.  Technically cyclists will be able to use the single lane but in a P&J article one councillor has encouraged them not to.

Craigshaw Drive – looks like it’s nearly finished. Will be fully segregated cycle lane on each side of the road. Continues over junctions with private premises but at junctions with side roads perhaps not ideal. Curbs are not angled in line with Cycle By Design recommendations.  Will can examine in more detail once complete and open – hopefully soon.

Hardgate contra-flow – put in place in 2023 – better than nothing but not ideal and certainly not in accordance with Cycling by Design, and possibly dangerous in some aspects. We have asked ACC for a walk over review via our actions list but no response yet.

  1. Events & activities
  2. Proposed litter pick / community event

GC suggested new location of shared use path at St Fittick’s leading to the new harbour. Date proposed: Sun 25th August 1 – 3pm

  1. Autumn ‘special’ meeting / Awards

Plan to run Best in Cycling Awards again from 1st June and announce winners in September. Categories (including Cycle Raspberry) will be the same as last time with the public asked to nominate. A panel of judges will decide the winners with a public vote for the ‘Cycle Raspberry’.

Possibly could be combined with hustings event in lead up to UK election although UK active transport issues not always that relevant in Scotland.

  1. Social / led rides – wait for Martin to report back next time.
  2. Other opportunities

Suggestions included School Fayre smoothie machine (Sustrans iBike project can lend) or pedal powered cinema event.

  1. Any other business

FS gave some insights into cycling around Edinburgh – generally finds it cyclist friendly although with some more difficult areas eg along the Bridges. 

MS gave apologies for next meeting and reported that she was disappointed not to see any mention of connecting Bucksburn to Blackburn in the Active Travel Network. Potential for connecting Blackburn to Kintore and then in long-term have a cycle path all the way from Aberdeen to Inverurie. Possibly a missed opportunity.

  1. Date of next meeting (provisionally Tuesday 28 May)

Summary accounts for 23-34

Income

Collection taken at 20th Anniversary meeting                                       65.00

 Total income                                                                                                                                                   65.00

Expenditure

Insurance                                                                                                                         283.16

Replacement banner                                                                                                     96.00

20th Anniversary meeting – room hire                                                                  115.00

Web hosting                                                                                                                     43.20

Total expenditure                                                                                                                                         537.36

Opening balance   1,705.72

Closing balance 1,233.36