Present: Gavin Clark (Chair), Rachel Martin, Deema Aburizik, Francesco Sani, Ali Johnson, Michelle Shortt, Katy Hardacre
1. Apologies: Fiona McDonald, Linda Moreno Sanchez, Alan Irving
2. Notes from February’s meeting are on the website.
3. ACC & Nestrans liaison, consultations etc
a) our quarterly meeting with senior Councillors and officers had taken place on 20 March. Four attended for ACF (GC/RM/FS/KH). For the first time we had sent a list of discussion points in advance which helped to some extent. It was still a challenge to cover everything in any depth in the time available. Katy had produced notes and actions which we will send on to ACC once GC has had time to review them. RM thanked Katy for pressing them hard on key points, such as the increase in levels of traffic. Another thing which had come up in discussion was the use of temporary segregation as a means of speeding up implementation. (eg bollards and rubberised kerbs, as commonly seen in Edinburgh). We were invited to suggest locations.
b) Proposed meeting with Nestrans. We have offered dates and wait to hear back. The scope of the meeting now seems to have expanded and to include some of ACC roads and transport officers. This seems positive and we haven’t had much of a direct relationship with Nestrans before so the opportunity for a meeting is welcome.
c) School streets pilot. We are due to meet with the ACC officers leading on this on 7th April. GC’s initial impressions of the street closures was that they seemed minimal.
d) Union St access. GC and KH had had a meeting with Morrison Construction after a press release from ACC regarding changes to access for vehicle but failed to mention cycling at all. At the time of the meeting the intention was that access would remain for cyclists, using the emergency vehicles route. However after a few days works led to exposed iron work that was deemed unsafe to cycle on. We had conveyed both updates to members.
e) WACI launch (Walking & Cycling Index report, 2025). GC and KH had attended. The event included some good presentations from a few of the behaviour change programmes underway such as I-bike and Rock up n’ride. The report itself is a bit mixed: some positives such as a majority of people saying they would like to cycle more. But actual participation in cycling is slightly down, and perceptions of safety are still the biggest obstacle. MS asked in the decline is just in Aberdeen, or more widespread. GC said he expects it is just Aberdeen but hasn’t checked the other cities reports. Infrastructure delivery in Aberdeen in recent years has been very slow: according to the report, just one mile of new cycle path has been created since 2023.
4. Aberdeenshire issues
a) An Integrated Travel Towns (ITT) Placecheck consultation had been live recently. Some of us had taken the opportunity to make several points concerning Westhill and Stonehaven.
b) Torc had been in touch to point out that Aberdeenshire Council are closing the B979 Netherley road for 29 weeks, from 13 April. The closure is at the southern end, where there is no practical alternative route for cyclists. The AC official diversion is via the AWPR which is clearly unsuitable for cyclists. The section that is closed is also NCN1. It seems inconceivable that AC could have proposed this closure without considering cyclists at all. GC has been in touch with them and is awaiting an answer.
5. Voi bike rental scheme. We have a meeting with Emma from Voi on Friday. Various aspects of the scheme were discussed, and we should know a lot more after the meeting.
6. Cycling UK affiliation. GC confirmed that as previously discussed we have now joined CUK as an affiliate group, at a cost of £88/yr. This includes insurance and we have let our previous PLI cover lapse.
7. Events, activities
a) We had previously discussed a campaign ride to coincide with Pedal on Parliament in May. However Union St (central) will be closed and after discussion it was agreed there was no other route which would serve the purpose. Instead it was proposed we hold a ride in September to mark the re-opening of Union St and the new section of segregated cycle lane.
b) RM suggested that we bring forward the litter-pick, as it is easier to do before dense vegetation grows up. A date of 12 April was agreed. Some possible locations discussed. GC to recce and confirm by next weekend.
c) KH intimated that we have been invited to participate in Envirolution (Seaton Park, September). GC noted that we had attended in 2024, in collaboration with Sustrans. We didn’t go back in 2025, due to a lack of resources and/or ideas. Happy to consider returning in 2026 and ideas welcome.
d) we still need to make contact with ACC Events team to try and improve provision for cyclists at major city events. This is on GC’s list of things to do.
8. Any other business
a) GC advised that last week he had been invited to the opening event of the new ‘Hub’ at the James Hutton Institute. An interesting new facility and venue, as well as the opportunity to network. The formal opening had been by the First Minister, John Swinney.
b) We had learned of a rash of new signs on the Deeside Way between Garthdee and Peterculter, most of which seem to be targeted at asking cyclists to slow down. The signs are not official and likely put up by one disgruntled individual. As a shared-use space, it needs everyone to behave responsibly and respect the needs of others if it is to work well. RM said she has never had any trouble or seen any conflict. Anecdotally, others avoid using the route at certain times of day when it is busy, simply because repeated and frequent slowing down makes it impractical.
c) RM is assisting with organisation of a fiddling event and had been disappointed to note that their advice on travel to the event, which covered road, air and public transport had totally omitted cycling. She is offering suggestions.
d) KH advised that the newly resurfaced path from the Cycle Hub at Seaton to the beach esplanade is now open.
e) KH had been asked by NESCAN if we could look at a recent report they had generated – agreed we should.
9. Date of next meeting. Tuesday 28 April, which will also be the AGM. GC outlined what the AGM covers and suggested that we might also invite a guest speaker for added interest. There were a few suggestions as to who we could ask.
Aberdeen Cycle Forum 