Author: Rachel M

Thank you for supporting PoP Aberdeen

by Rachel M, posted in news, news

It’s been a couple of weeks since our very first ‘PoP Aberdeen’ ride. We hope you were as pleased to see it happen as we were.   Such a stroke of luck to get some sunshine in that week of rain!

We had more than 100 riders leave Hazlehead Park and we had cyclists joining us seemingly from every corner – some even joined from side streets on Union Street itself! At Marischal College, we were met by some of you who couldn’t cycle on the day as well as MP Dame Anne Begg, Councillors Neil Cooney, John Corall, Ross Thomson, Gordon Townson, and Ian Yuill.  We were able to have a chat with them about cycling in Aberdeen – both conditions now and what we’d like to see for the future.

We had some press coverage, maybe you’ll spot yourself in the photos!

The Citizen article is no longer online, but here are ones from the Press & Journal and the Evening Express:

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/557369/aberdeen-cyclists-gear-up-for-demonstration-at-marischal-college/

https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/aberdeen/560689/cyclists-pile-pressure-government-taking-streets-aberdeen/

http://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/news/local/aberdeen-rally-ride-highlights-safety-for-cyclists/

There was some wider coverage of Pedal on Parliament – here’s the BBC article:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-edinburgh-east-fife-32446845

Thank you to everyone who shared information to get the word out about the ride, thank you to those who rode along, thank you to those who met us at Marischal, and thank you to the group of ACF members that worked so hard behind the scenes to make it happen.

We’re not sure what date we’ll choose for next year’s ride, but we will definitely be making a tradition of this.   We’ll let you know as soon as possible about a date for 2016!

Pedal on Parliament – PoP Aberdeen

by Rachel M, posted in Uncategorized

To coincide with the main event in Edinburgh, this year Aberdeen will host the first satellite ride – from Hazlehead Park to Marischal College. The route will be via Hazlehead Drive, Queens Road, Albyn Place, Union St and Broad St. The distance is 3 ¼ miles and is slightly downhill. Estimated ride time at a gentle pace is 20 – 30 minutes.  Download the Detailed Route Guide

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The event has been discussed with both Aberdeen City council’s events team and Police Scotland (Aberdeen City Divison) who have confirmed it may go ahead. As you can see from the Police’s letter and our response they really should get out on their bike more.

Help us get the word out Download the Poster or handlebar flyers

Please note that this ride takes place on open roads and in normal city center traffic conditions. There are no closed roads or other traffic management. Participants will be responsible for their own behavior and their own safety at all times. Because the route is on busy city center roads, it is likely to be suitable only for cyclists who are familiar and comfortable with cycling in traffic.

The ride will leave Hazlehead Park at 12 noon, arriving at Marischal College by around 1230 where we hope to meet and speak to a number of Councillors from Aberdeen City Council. Assembly point at Hazlehead will be on the running track alongside Hazlehead Drive.

The purpose of the ride is to raise the profile of cycling in Aberdeen. The ride is a peaceful demonstration of our right to ride. We do not intend to cause any unnecessary disruption to traffic or disobey the rules of the road. Please respect this!

The route does cross busy roundabouts including Anderson Drive at Queens Road. At this and other roundabouts, less confident riders should be able to dismount and use pedestrian crossings, rejoining the ride after the junction. It is also proposed that riders who wish to miss out all the roundabouts could instead assemble on Albyn Place / Rubislaw Terrace Gardens, and join the ride there (1215). Anyone else wishing to show support but unable to join the ride is very welcome to meet the riders at Marischal College (1230).

Please note that no food or drink will be provided. There are toilets available at Hazlehead Park and at various locations near the arrival point in the city centre. Remember to dress appropriately for the weather and for cycling. You may wish to consider wearing a cycle helmet and brightly coloured / high visibility clothing, but these are not compulsory.

When assembling in front of Marischal College we have been asked by Aberdeen City Council to be aware of the need to respect the environment and the needs of others. Please ensure that the pavement is not obstructed to pedestrians or passers- by who are not involved in the ride, and please do not park your bicycle against the building or statue plinth. We hope to see you there on the 25 th!

Consultation on Haudagain bypass

by Rachel M, posted in news

Consultation on proposals for a bypass of the Haudagain roundabout, August 2014

This is a note of our meeting with consultants looking for comments on the proposals for a Haudagain ‘bypass’. This note of the meeting was written by the consulatants and is open for comment before we respond.
The note of the meeting is available here and we welcome your feedback and any comments.

Jam tomorrow – note of our meeting with Aberdeen City Council, 16 Jul 2014

by Rachel M, posted in news

After about 18 months of trying, ACF members met last week with officials from Aberdeen City Council and facilitated by Cllr Ross Thomson, the Councils cycle champion. We had sought a meeting to discuss road safety concerns prompted by a fatal accident on Anderson Drive late in 2012. Lets hope that the amount of time taken to arrange a meeting isnt indicative of the Councils attitude towards ACF or towards road safety. As it happened, on the very day of the meeting there was a further accident on Queens Cross roundabout with a cyclist taken to hospital.

In the time since we first requested the meeting a number of other issues had come up too, including some related to the AWPR, so the meeting covered those too. There seems to be a lot of work underway or planned for the future, but not an awful lot that is imminent, so it may be some time before we start to notice any significant improvements (hence the heading above jam tomorrow). A note of the meeting is available here and we welcome your feedback and any comments about road safety, especially on roundabouts, if you have particular examples of road design problems which create a hazard. We have had good feedback from members in the past and the existing list of flaws is regularly put to the Council. This is a chance for new members, or old, to add to that.

Cycle count results 2014

by Rachel M, posted in news

Aberdeen Cycle Count 2014

The results can be found in .pdf form here.

This years cycle count was finished over the week starting 12th May. One position was counted on 20 May due to technical difficulties.

The total is up 23% from the count in 2013, and is the highest since the count began in 2008.

It is an increase of 13% from the second highest year, 2011, and a 45% increase since the first count.

The highest number of cyclists was counted along Union Street at the junction with Union Terrace. This has consistently been a high-count area along with King Street, which is counted at the junction with Mounthooly Way.

The proportion of female cyclists was 19%, a small increase from previous years.
While the growth in other years has been modest, the count this year has risen by almost double the increase.

With this increase, it is surprising to see that three sites showed a decrease in cyclists. The change at the Victoria Bridge/Market Street is not perhaps indicative of anything (-1 change), but the decrease of cyclists at the George Street (-11) and Westburn Road (-10) locations possibly indicates a shift away from using those routes.

The three-year growth comparisons are up sharply at some locations but hold steady at most. Three locations show a decrease over time. The change (-2 in both cases) at Queens Road and the Shell Path is small and possibly not, again, indicative of anything. However, the change over the two three-year periods compared shows a marked (-9) change in cyclists using the Victoria Bridge/Market Street route.

The Forum continues to seek changes to this area in order cyclists to access the city from Torry and other points south.

The Deeside Line, as one of the few available continuous, sheltered cycle routes, unsurprisingly shows the highest growth when comparing three-year growth patterns. This again highlights the fact that cyclists are keen to use infrastructure when it is implemented sympathetically and well maintained.

The Cycle Forum will continue to work for better infrastructure to encourage more cyclists. It will encourage the council to aim for a safer and more pleasant environment for those who are already cycling in the city.