Decision details

(i)       to note Transport Scotland’s intention to pause funding of the Bus Partnership Fund programme in 2024/25;

(ii)      to agree that positive progress has been achieved in the North East under the programme and that work should continue during 2024/25, with alternate methods of funding to be sought;

(iii)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to continue with the programme of work described in section 3 of this report, as funding permits;

(iv)     to note that, subject to appropriate change control processes, the City Region Deal Joint Committee has agreed an allocation of £1,740,000 between 2024/25 and 2026/27 for progressing work on Aberdeen Rapid Transit (ART) and the associated corridor studies,as an element of the Strategic Transport Appraisal workstream, and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to pursue all other relevant external funding opportunities to support continued progression of the Bus Partnership Fund programme;

(v)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to continue to engage with Transport Scotland on future plans for the Bus Partnership Fund;

(vi)     to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to, as funding permits, undertake public and stakeholder consultation on the options established through the Inverurie to Aberdeen (A96) corridor study options appraisal, and to report the preferred option or options relevant to Aberdeen City Council back to this Committee once completed;

(vii)     to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to proceed with public and stakeholder consultation on the options established through the Dyce to Bucksburn (A947) corridor study options appraisal, and to report the preferred option or options relevant to Aberdeen City Council back to this Committee once completed;

(viii)    to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to proceed with public and stakeholder consultation on the options established through the Banchory to Aberdeen (A93) corridor study options appraisal, and to report the preferred option or options relevant to Aberdeen City Council back to this Committee once completed;

(ix)     to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to report the outcomes of the ART routeing analysis to this Committee in June 2024;

(x)      to note that funding from Nestrans has been established to progress active travel connections between Westhill and Aberdeen city centre, and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to work with Aberdeenshire Council and Nestrans to progress with public and stakeholder engagement on a preferred option and report the preferred option or options relevant to Aberdeen City Council to this Committee in September 2024;

(xi)     to note the report provided to the Nestrans Board in February 2024 on progress on the Laurencekirk to Aberdeen study and the decision of the Nestrans Board to proceed with Detailed Options Appraisal; and

(xii)     to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to continue to provide quarterly Service Updates on Bus Partnership Fund progress.

(xiii)    to instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning, following consultation with the Convener of the Net Zero, Environment & Transport Committee and consultation with the Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee, to write to the Cabinet Secretary expressing concern about the pause to Bus Partnership funding for 2024/25 and asking for reassurance regarding future funding of sustainable transport initiatives in particular for projects which are identified in Annex B of National Planning Framework as of national significance such as the Aberdeen Rapid Transit; and

(xiv)    to agree that the Committee should see sight of Fiona Hyslop's response once received.