Meeting minutes 27th June 2023

Aberdeen Cycle Forum (ACF) Meeting June 2023

Welcome & Introductions

Agreement to share the link to the monthly meeting via email if possible.

Attendees: Gavin Clark (GC) (Chair), Rachel Martin (RM), Martin Sharman (MH), Clemens Von Scheffer (CVS), Laurie Rominger (LR)

Minutes from last meeting and matters arising

Matters Arising: Clean Air Day – GC cancelled ACF involvement due to lack of notice from organisers and lack of volunteers.

Liaison with Aberdeen City Council 

    GC and CVS met with Iain Yuill and Miranda Radley together with senior Aberdeen City Council (ACC) officers.

    Potential solutions have been identified for many of the accessibility issues raised by ACF last year, although we haven’t seen the detail yet.  If members identify other issues, these can also be reported to ACC. MS has also reported various issues to ACC – mostly drop kerbs. MS to start new list which can be shared with ACC at the quarterly meetings. Current list of issues to be shared with MS. 

    The Accessible Users Transport Users Partnership (ACTUP) meetings alternate between early afternoon and evening and GC has attended when possible. Some new cycle parking locations have been identified (likely new bike racks on Deeside Way).

    Union St plans to go back to ACC Finance & Resources meeting on 5th July.  Friday 30th July 1.30pm ACC to stage mock-up of new layout of Union St for Disability Equity Partnership members. DEP do not want Option 5; they prefer option of cyclists to share space with buses. Bi-directional segregated cycle track on one side of the road is now the ACC preferred option, and as it is the only remaining option which results in segregation, we will support it. If approved, plan would be to start work on Union St next year – work is likely to take 18 months. Also potential for cycle track to continue down through Castlegate and all the way to the Beach.

    CVS to send GC notes from the meeting.

    Funding

    1. Active Travel Transformation Fund
      Aberdeen has not secured any of this funding. Mostly going to central belt.  We have asked ACC if an application was submitted and we await an answer.
    2. Adult cycle training fund
      ACF has run cycle training sessions in past but due to resource required to organise these sessions, ACF do not plan to organise sessions this year.  Adventure Aberdeen does offer cycle training for a payment.  NHS Grampian is organising some cycle training sessions for staff this year.  Funding applications could be shared with other organisations eg workplaces to encourage others to apply.  Agree to promote on ACF website and social media.
    3. #Andshecycles campaign funding (closes 29 June) available to encourage teenage girls to keep/start cycling
    4. Cycle champion of the Year Awards (closes 30 June) – 6 categories, visionary, community, everyday cycling, young (<24), business or cycle shop – to promote social media

    Consultations

    1. Winter maintenance
      This year ACC have intimated they will consult with ACF on priorities for this. ACF has consulted members via Facebook. Suggest ACC could use Strava heat maps and Big Issue ebike heat maps and cycle counters to identify priority routes.
    2. Various traffic orders – see  Traffic Management – Proposed Traffic Regulation Orders – June 2023 – Aberdeen City Council – Citizen Space
    3. Beachfront framework Phase 2 (closed 26 June) Very short questionnaire on ACC website gathering opinions about use of the area – GC completed.
    4. Wellington Road – response submitted Thanks to Laurie and GC for submitting this. This is the 5th time ACF have been consulted on this route. 
    5. Craigshaw Drive – GC does not think this is a good use of money. Two replies from recent email to full membership– a member had emailed to say that they worked at Shell and they did their own cycle counts previously – 85% of the cyclists using Craigshaw Drive worked at Shell (now moved to city centre).  Another response agreed that she had never seen a cyclist on this route. A better route might be along Abbotswell Rd.
    6. Pedestrian/Cycle Bridge – across the Dee close to Union Square.  New plans published – this new bridge may connect to Craigshaw Drive.

    Events & Activities

    1. Arrangements for litter-pick
      Sun 20th August. Ask people to bring their own gloves. Provide a few spare pairs. Children need to stay with parents. Close to river. To borrow litter picks etc from ACC – Rachel to complete risk assessment. Event to be added to ACF Facebook page.
    2. September in-person meeting, ‘event’ and Councillors Q&A  Previously ACF organised a local Cycling Awards event with Q&A with Sandra McDonald (previous ACC Transport Chair) GC suggested organising a ‘celebrity cyclist’ speaker and then Q&A session with Iain Yuill.  Provisional date Tues 26th Sep. Various celebrities were suggested including Markus Stitz, Jenny Graham and Badger Divide record holder. GC/FM to contact potential speakers. Various venues were suggested – Belmont, RGU.
    3. Social / coffee rides 
      Previous rides have not been well attended. It was suggested that the invitation be extended to all members and a contingency plan drawn up in case lots of people turn up.
      Post meeting note: MH is organising a family friendly critical mass ride on 16th July 11am in Seaton Park. Be good to see ACF members there.

    Liaison with other groups – XR
    GC had an informal meeting with Jean Boucher to discuss potential areas of interest for combined campaigning.

    Web hosting
    Back up point of contact required – GC to discuss with RM and FM.

    Any other business

    Critical Mass
    MH gave an update on critical mass rides.  New A to B route along King Street, back via Bedford Rd, George St and then loop round city centre.  Also plans to vary the route to visit different areas of the city in the future. On average 30 – 40 people per ride with approx. 300 participants overall.  Some Councillors have attended regularly. There has been less promotion recently but there are plans to purchase some flags and develop a logo.  Next ride Fri 30th June.   

    ACC initiative
    ACC is to allow ACC staff and Councillors to use the Big Issue e-bikes for free. MH posted on Twitter to invite Councillors to go for a ride. Suggest ACF use this as an opportunity to engage with ACC.  Invite them to the ACF social rides. This initiative has been funded by bus lane enforcement fines.  Legislation requires the money should be used to support the local transport strategy. GC noted from list of projects that £75,000 to encourage visitors to off-shore Europe to use public transport or ebikes.  Biodiversity project in Denburn.  ACF members to consider projects which we think this pot of money could be used for in future years. 

    Date of next meeting – No July meeting (as usual) due to holiday season so next date is provisionally Tuesday 29th August