1. Welcome & introductions
Gavin (Chair), Rachel Martin, Michelle Shortt, Stuart Gillan, Neil Cowan, Fiona McDonald
Apologies: Daniel V, Laurie R (Laurie now has a conflict on Tues evenings so unlikely to be able to attend for foreseeable future)
2. Note of previous meeting (June)
June minutes published on ACF website.
3. Consultations
1. Westhill to city centre active travel (recap)
Discussion about suggestion of a Dutch style roundabout at Queen’s Cross. Views were varied as this would be a novel infrastructure for Aberdeen and Scotland. Some members felt that for more vulnerable cyclists and pedestrians increasing priority for cyclists was welcome. NC suggested reducing the number of lanes and reducing the traffic approach speed would be more cost-effective.
GC also unsure about their proposed solution at the AWPR intersection where they had taken the cycle track onto the central island. Cuts down crossings from 4-5 to 2, but users might feel isolated or exposed?
ACF response to the consultation is now on the website. Summary of public consultation goes to Council this week.
SA reported overhanging trees and vegetation at various sections along the cycle lane from Hazlehead to Westhill obstructing the lane and making it difficult to see pedestrians ahead. Has been writing to the Council for years about this. Thinks the hedges/trees need to be given a more severe prune at least once a year. Vets just after Prime 4 – have recently done a very good job 3 – 4m back from cycle path. Prime 4 have done minimal trimming.
At Langstracht junction there is subsidence – barriers have been errected around a hole in cycle path. Reported in March – not yet mended – despite the road being resurfaced recently.
At 5 Mile Garage – can only use last metre of path due to overgrown vegetation. Landowners have not done as they would need to pay to close a lane of the dual carriageway. Council said they would serve a Section 92 to make them carry this out but this has not been done.
Also problems at the roundabout at bypass as layout not to Cycle by Design standards. Could do with signs to say ‘Keep left’ and use your bell. After bypass, blind turn before you do downhill
SA showed issues to a Sustrans officer in 2018 but very little change since.
Key ask is that hedges are pruned back by 2 -3m
GC noted that another member had raised the issue of overhanging vegetation in particular at the A944 junction with Westhill Rd
MS reported some recent improvements along Formatine Way.
Report on Regional Transport Strategy consultation to committee next week. RTS should be a stepping stone to Council being able to bid for significant investment in active travel infrastructure.
2. 20mph speed limits
Scottish Government now has a policy that 20mph will be the default speed limit in urban areas by 2025. ACC have been working on plans to implement this. GC has received proposals to comment on. Not entirely universal but will include most residential areas.
Implemented in Edinburgh a couple of years ago and has made a difference to the speeds in the centre. Very unlikely there will be enforcement of the speed limit although the smiley face speed cameras may be used temporarily in different places.
Edinburgh has data on lives saved so far.
Members very supportive of 20mph proposals. GC will circulate proposals to meeting attendees.
Post meeting addition: https://www.ed.ac.uk/news/2022/slowing-city-traffic-cut-road-deaths-by-a-quarter#:~:text=Restricting%20a%20city’s%20speed%20limits,%2Deffective%2C%20the%20study%20found.
Liaison with ACC
1. Quarterly meeting
GC and RM attended and raised some key points and challenged lack of progress with some items on the action list. For example, request for visible cycle counters on some routes, engine idling outside schools. Politicians are in favour of improving active travel and are taking a lot of criticism from many different people and businesses for pursuing changes like the bus gates and LEZ.
2. ACTUP
GC has attended virtual meeting. Action list has also been brought to this forum. GC feels useful to attend when possible, (although meetings alternate between 2pm and 5.30pm) gives visibility of cycling community and issues. The Chair tries to keep meetings to one hour duration which limits the scope for detailed discussion.
3. Bus gate round table
GC had been invited to attend this meeting in July with business leaders, bus reps & disability partnership. Footfall in city centre is said to be down by 20% since bus gates and LEZ were put in place. However there are also many other reasons why footfall can be down (on-line shopping, edge of town retail centres, changes in working patterns) and the problem of city centre decline is not unique to Aberdeen. Business leaders were suggesting what they called a ‘common sense compromise’. Union St campaign group, Aberdeen Inspired, Editor of P&J was advocating for this compromise. GC made point that it was still possible to drive into the city centre. Everyone agreed the problem is mainly about perception as all carparks are still accessible. However there was less agreement over solutions. ACC have agreed some minor concessions and undertaken to carry out more traffic modelling before reviewing some other points of detail.
4. Events & activities:
1. Litter pick
Location: River Dee – meet at Bridge of Dee, back of Boots the Chemists. Sat 7th September. Bike parking available at Sainsbury’s. Rachel will post a Facebook event. Ask members if anyone is first aid qualified who could attend. GC will complete a risk assessment. RM in liaison with ACC who are providing the equipment and will pick up the filled bags.
2. Envirolution festival (28 Sep)
Have been asked to lead cycle rides, GC is able to help. ACF may get room on a stall as well.
3. ArtRoots
RM is applying for funding from Sustrans fund for the opposite side of the bridge on the Deeside line to the mural that was painted previously. RM has consulted with ACF Facebook and various community groups. If funding approved it should get painted in October. Any further feedback welcome.
4. Best in Cycling Awards
Received 40+ entrants for the various categories. Next phase is judging. Cycle raspberry is open for a public vote. GC to finalise judging list.
5. Possible changes to our membership system
Current way of managing membership information is difficult to keep up to date. Relies on GC maintaining a spreadsheet.
GC and FM have reviewed systems that other clubs use and thought “Membershipmojo” could be an option for £50 – £100 per year.
Current data statement says that ACF won’t share their data with anyone else. Therefore everyone will need to be encouraged to sign up again. Will give opportunity for members to give a voluntary donation.
Main disadvantage is the likelihood of losing a significant number of members.
Awardforce could provide a similar system. Can have different membership profiles. ACF has had a free account with Awardforce since 2019 which has been used for the Cycle Awards and Accessibility campaign. Can only broadcast via email to 3000 people at a time. Data is hosted in Europe – Germany – very stringent regulations on data security. ACF already have 177 users on the system. There is an option to unsubscribe with every email. You can download data if needed. RM currently works for Awardforce if RM left the company then could export details and import to another membership system. Can ask people to pay to enter a competition. Additional voluntary contributions might be more difficult. Paypal button on website could be used – send a link to members annually?
Website – 98 subscribers to the website – anything published on the website is automatically sent out to these subscribers.
GC uses a smaller email group of active members for discussion and feedback on consultations.
6. Date of next meeting (provisionally 24th September)
In person for Best in Cycling Awards
Venue: to be confirmed
Speaker: to be confirmed
AOCB
SA raised problems with the cycle path from Aberdeen University library to Diamond Bridge. Previous ACF audit was done on this route. Designers ignored all ACF comments about side road crossings – this goes back many years. Things have got better since then in terms of the Council consulting with ACF – for example we have had much better input over South College St (although it is still imperfect).
All consultation responses from 2004 are on the ACF website.
When ACF is drafting responses to consultations, input from members is always welcomed.
Aberdeen Cycle Forum 