Issue - meetings

(i)       to note the concerns raised by Cults Academy school pupils about the volume of parked cars on Quarry Road and that officers would provide further information on how this might be addressed to Members outwith the meeting;

(ii)       to note the preliminary appraisal report and its outcomes, as summarised in the Executive Summary at Appendix 1, and detailed in the Full Report at Appendix 2;

(iii)      to instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to implement the “Small Scale, Low Risk Options” for Aberdeen City identified in Table 1 (para 3.12), subject to funding availability;

(iv)      to note that Aberdeenshire Council acknowledges the outcomes of the report and will progress the “Small Scale, Low Risk Options” within Aberdeenshire, as detailed in Table 2 (para 3.13), where Officers have delegated authority to do so, within current policy and subject to resource availability;

(v)      to agree that work to further develop the Options detailed in Table 3 (para 3.15) be progressed and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to undertake a Detailed Appraisal and Outline Business Case (OBC)), subject to additional funding being secured;

(vi)      subject to recommendation 2.4, instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to report the Detailed Appraisal, Outline Business Case, and next steps to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee by summer 2024; and

(vii)     agree that the Options listed in Table 4 (para 3.16) be taken forward in the upcoming Active Travel Network Review project for full oversight when reviewing the city as a whole

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Commissioning which presented the outcome of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG)-based preliminary options appraisal on the A93 Banchory to Aberdeen Multi-Modal Corridor Study and sought approval of the proposed recommendations.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the preliminary appraisal report and its outcomes, as summarised in the Executive Summary at Appendix 1, and detailed in the Full Report at Appendix 2;

(b)      instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to implement the “Small Scale, Low Risk Options” for Aberdeen City identified in Table 1 (para 3.12), subject to funding availability;

(c)      note that Aberdeenshire Council acknowledged the outcomes of the report and would progress the “Small Scale, Low Risk Options” within Aberdeenshire, as detailed in Table 2 (para 3.13), where officers had delegated authority to do so, within current policy and subject to resource availability;

(d)      agree that work to further develop the Options detailed in Table 3 (para 3.15) be progressed and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to undertake a Detailed Appraisal and Outline Business Case (OBC)), subject to additional funding being secured;

(e)      subject to recommendation (d) above, instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to report the Detailed Appraisal, Outline Business Case, and next steps to the Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee by summer 2024; and

(f)       agree that the Options listed in Table 4 (para 3.16) be taken forward in the upcoming Active Travel Network Review project for full oversight when reviewing the city as a whole.

The Convener, seconded by the Vice Convener, moved the recommendations as contained in the report.

Councillor Massey, seconded by Councillor Farquhar, moved as an amendment:-

That the Committee:-

agree the recommendations contained within the report subject to the following changes: 

1.     3.15 - remove PT1 (Implement an eastbound bus lane along the A93 corridor) and PT2 (Implement a westbound bus lane along the A93 corridor) from the Options for Detailed Appraisal; and

2.     3.15 - add Review of the Deeside Way as a supporting Option for Detailed Appraisal.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (10) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; and Councillors Ali, Blake, Hazel Cameron, Fairfull, Henrickson, Hutchison, Macdonald and van Sweeden; for the amendment (3) – Councillors Farquhar, Kusznir and Massey.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note the concerns raised by Cults Academy school pupils about the volume of parked cars on Quarry Road and that officers would provide further information on how this might be addressed to Members outwith the meeting; and

(ii)       to adopt the motion.

-          COUNCILLOR IAN YUILL, Convener