Spring 08 Newsletter
The spring edition of ACF Bulletin is now available for download. To get your copy visit the Publications page
If you have any feedback or suggestions for further articles (contributions are always welcome!) then drop a line to Fiona our Editor:
New Cycling Enterprise Planned for Aberdeen
It is hoped a new enterprise will be launched in Aberdeen in the next few months, that will repair/refurbish unwanted bikes and sell them to the public at affordable prices. The company – BIKEFIT – also wishes to develop other services, including providing cycle training for young people and adults (eg at the universities or to staff at companies as part of their travel plans)
A pool of cycle trainers are needed who can help deliver cycle training. There are already a few people who are accredited trainers in the area but the pool could do with a few extra. BikeFit is looking for people who can make themselves available for a 4 day Cycling Scotland training course (in Aberdeen) and then agree to deliver a number of days of training through the year – for which they will get a fee. Obviously this will suit people who work flexibly, or part time or who are not in work.
BikeFit could make a real difference to cycling in Aberdeen – in the way the Bike Station has in Edinburgh. Be there at the start If you are interested ‘in principle’ at this stage please send name and contact details to Derek Williams:
New Cycle Parking at Aberdeen Railway Station
After repeated reminding by ACF for well over a year new cycle parking has now been installed at the Aberdeen Railway station. A total of 35 Sheffield stands in 7 “toast racks” have been installed in the multi-storey car park replacing 6 car parking spaces. Covered and under the CCTV cameras they are a definate improvement on First Scotrail’s earlier efforts
The stands can be found on Level 5, as you enter from College Street they are “half a level” below you to the right hand side, down the ramp. From here it’s a short walk over the footbridge to the station concourse.
The signage to find the stands is virtually non existant, we are pursuing this, lets hope it happens faster than the stands! If you have any comments then do get in contact
ACC Core Paths “Counsultative Draft”
Aberdeen City Council is currently developing a “core paths” proposal, a requirement of the 2003 Land reform act.
There are a number of paths in the City that could be designated as core paths, e.g. the Deeside line.
When finally designated there will then be a requirement to maintain the paths under the legislation.
Clearly cyclists have an interest in this.
As with most matters like this it can take a while for the wheels of government to turn! ACF will be responding
when the “formal” consultation process commences, however there is currently a “Consultative Draft Core Paths Plan”
available to view on the ACC web.
Maps of all the local areas are included and feedback is welcomed you can
learn more here
Aberdeen’s Second Bike Recycling Scehme Opens
UPDATE OCTBER 2013 – We have been informed by instant Neighbour that Bike Fit is no longer operating. The original article from 2010 has been retained below, but please don’t contact instant neighbour about bikes!
After a bit of a delay, the BikeFit bike recycling project is now up and running and accepting donated bikes. It is based within the Instant Neighbour premises on St Machar Drive. Aberdeen now has the luxury of TWO bike recycling projects, with beCyCle already established. Donated bikes will be repaired and refurbished by BikeFit and offered for sale, or free of charge in certain circumstances. As well as bike recycling, BikeFit services bikes and offers a mobile “Dr Bike” service. The workshop is managed by Peter Cooper a bicycle mechanic of some 36 years. Peter most recently worked with Bill Reid at Broomhill Road cycles, The details:
Taking a stand at the Wall
ACF’s Taking a stand initiative has recorded another success.
Transition-Extreme, with it’s indoor climbing wall, BMX and skate centre was a much welcomed addition to Aberdeen. During construction however one small detail was missed out, yes you guessed it a bike stand! The irony of this was not lost on the large number of people who wrote to us to point this out.
ACF contacted Transition and thanks to the efforts Neil Stevenson and Craig Mitchell, Transition now has a nice set of Sheffield stands at the entrance. A second set will shortly appear inside the building. Craig even featured in the recent ACF story in the Press and Journal
In installing the stands Transition, a charity, has managed to quickly achieve something two FTSE 100 companies B&Q and Dixons Stores Group are still strugling to acheive, despike having plenty of environmental policies! If you have any more suggestions for places that should have a stand use the taking a stand pages to let us know and we will see what we can do
ACF Making a Stand at Tesco
Tesco have recently expanded in Aberdeen with two new stores; the new Tesco Express in Manofield, and the Tesco South, on Wellington Road, a former Somerfields store. As ever with these “new” develpments, plenty of car parking spaces, but not a cycle stand in sight. Thanks to all who brought this to our attention.
So what happened with the new planning conditions requiring cycle stands that ACF worked so closely with the council on? The simple (and disapointing) answer is that they don’t apply; as a conversion of an existing store Tesco South does not require planning permission. The development in Manofield of which Tesco is a part was granted permission on 3rd August 2006, before the new conditions came into effect. Plans did show stands, however discussions with planning officers indicated the provision of them could not be enforced!
Undeterred ACF contacted Tesco, as with any large organisation this took some time – two letters and two emails vanished before our final attempt to Tesco PLC’s director of sustainable development, Lucy Neville-Rolfe hit home. We are now in communication with Tesco’s Scottish site manager and are pleased to report three Sheffield stands in Manofield. The provision of stands at Tesco South is under investigation, we’ll update this page if it happens.
Meanwhile if you should find yourself, as one ACF member put it, “using a lamp post that had been used by a dog” customer comment forms are available in the store, ACF would encourage you to use one, as Tesco’s own strapline says Every little helps
If you know of any other locations where there should be a stand, get in contact. Use the main Taking a Stand page to let us know and we will see what we can do
Local Transport Strategy
ACF recently responded to Aberdeen City Council’s Consultation on the new Local Transport Strategy. Commonly Known as the “LTS” this document will be used to guide all the councils decisions until 2012, although many of the guidelines for cycling in earlier strategies were ignored!
You can read more on the page LTS Consultation page. ACF’s submission can be downloaded Here
Work Starts on Westhill-Aberdeen Cycle Route
Back in the mists of time, well actually July 2006, ACF worked with the councils counsulants on the
design of a cycle route from Aberdeen to Kingswells and Westhill, you can read the original design here . At the time we envisaged work would start on the first part of the route in 2006 and would be completed in Q2 2007, so what happened?
Well in the 2006/7 financial year the council never got round to spending the budget! Incredible but true, not only does Aberdeen have one of the lowest budgets for cycle facilities in Scotland, in the last financial year the council never actually spent it all and money was “lost” to cycling.
Fast forward to the present, 7 months into the financial year in fact, and we are happy to report that work has actually started, the images below show the route construction going on at the Westhill end of the Langstract. Whilst it will take more years to complete the final route we see this as a good (if late!) start.
ACF is monitoring the spent of the 2007/8 CWSS (Cycling Walking and Safer Streets) budget carefully, sign up for our E-News service to learn how you can help us ensure it’s spent.
Support Sustrans Connect2
Sustrans, the sustainable transport charity responsible for the development of the National Cycle Network is currently bidding
for
Aberdeen Cycle Forum 