Issue - meetings

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the outline principle of the proposals to introduce a pedestrianised zone (no motor vehicles) between 10pm and 5am, 7 days a week, on Justice Mill Lane, Bon Accord Terrace (part of), Langstane Place (part of), Gordon Street (part of), Windmill Brae, Windmill Lane, Bath Street and Bridge Street (part of), with exemptions for cyclists, blue badge holders and also to allow access to off-street car parks;

(ii)          to approve the outline principle of the proposals for the 24 hour pedestrianisation of Langstane Place between Dee Street and Crown Street, with a timed exemption for delivery by goods vehicles between 6am and 11am Monday to Friday;

(iii)         to approve the outline principle of the proposals for the introduction of a one-way restriction on Windmill Brae;

(iv)         to approve the outline principle for the proposed reintroduction of pay and display parking bays on the east side of Dee Street, with the conversion of 3 existing pay and display bays on the west side to blue badge holders only;

(v)          to instruct the Chief Officer Operations and Protective Services to commence the necessary legal procedure of initial consultation with Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Public Transport Operators, Freight Transport Association, Road Haulage Association and any other organisations representing persons likely to be affected by any provision in the order as the authority considers appropriate eg Community Councils, Aberdeen Cycle Forum, Disability Equity Partnership etc.  If no objections are received then progress to the public advertisement;

(vi)         following the public advertisement, if there are no objections, the Traffic Regulations Orders may be made by way of delegated authority.  In the event of objection(s) being lodged, instruct officers to report the results to a future meeting of this Committee;

(vii)        to agree with the principle of City Centre Masterplan Project EN03;

(viii)      however, regrets that the available pedestrian usage data derives from traffic surveys which were carried out in 2015;

(ix)         further regrets that no data has been provided on the number of vehicles using the road during the travel periods proposed, and that this does not therefore provide any clarity regarding residential or commercial access usage;

(x)          to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations & Protective Services to request footfall data from the local businesses and Aberdeen Inspired to provide validation for the 2015 pedestrian survey figures and include them in a future report back to Committee; and

(xi)         to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations & Protective Services to consult with Police Scotland and NESTRANS in regards to the feasibility of installing number-plate recognition technology in the area to facilitate residential and commercial access; and

(xii)        to report back to Committee on 6 September 2018.

The Committee had before it a report by the Chief Operating Officer which provided information on the initial feedback from the informal consultation on the Justice Mill Lane/Langstane Place/Windmill Brae night time pedestrianisation plans and also outlined the detailed proposals and sought permission to progress the statutory procedure to establish the Traffic Regulation Orders required to bring the proposals into effect.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)  approve the outline principle of the proposals to introduce a pedestrianised zone (no motor vehicles) between 10pm and 5am, 7 days a week, on Justice Mill Lane, Bon Accord Terrace (part of), Langstane Place (part of), Gordon Street (part of), Windmill Brae, Windmill Lane, Bath Street and Bridge Street (part of), with exemptions for cyclists, blue badge holders and also to allow access to off-street car parks;

(b)  approve the outline principle of the proposals for the 24 hour pedestrianisation of Langstane Place between Dee Street and Crown Street, with a timed exemption for delivery by goods vehicles between 6am and 11am Monday to Friday;

(c)  approve the outline principle of the proposals for the introduction of a one-way restriction on Windmill Brae;

(d)  approve the outline principle for the proposed reintroduction of pay and display parking bays on the east side of Dee Street, with the conversion of 3 existing pay and display bays on the west side to blue badge holders only;

(e)  instruct the Chief Officer Operations and Protective Services to commence the necessary legal procedure of initial consultation with Police Scotland, Scottish Ambulance Service, Scottish Fire and Rescue Service, Public Transport Operators, Freight Transport Association, Road Haulage Association and any other organisations representing persons likely to be affected by any provision in the order as the authority considers appropriate eg Community Councils, Aberdeen Cycle Forum, Disability Equity Partnership etc.  If no objections are received then progress to the public advertisement;

(f)   following the public advertisement, if there are no objections, the Traffic Regulations Orders may be made by way of delegated authority.  In the event of objection(s) being lodged, instruct officers to report the results to a future meeting of this Committee;

The Committee heard from Ross Stevenson, Operations and Protective Services, who answered various questions from Members.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)            to approve the recommendations as contained within the report;

(ii)          to agree with the principle of City Centre Masterplan Project EN03;

(iii)         however, regrets that the available pedestrian usage data derives from traffic surveys which were carried out in 2015;

(iv)         further regrets that no data has been provided on the number of vehicles using the road during the travel periods proposed, and that this does not therefore provide any clarity regarding residential or commercial access usage;

(v)          to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations & Protective Services to request footfall data from the local businesses and Aberdeen Inspired to provide validation for the 2015 pedestrian survey figures and include them in a future report back to Committee; and

(vi)         to instruct the Chief Officer  ...  view the full minutes text for item 9