Agenda item

With reference to article 28 of the minute of the former Communities, Housing and Infrastructure Committee of 8 November 2017, the Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director – City Regeneration and Environment which advised of the outcomes of the Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) based appraisal of options for improvements to travel conditions at the Queen Elizabeth Bridge/North Esplanade West roundabout and the review of active travel provision on Riverside Drive, where this road passed underneath the Wellington Suspension Bridge. An outline of the findings from the technical report was provided, along with recommendations on the next steps for the preferred option that had been identified through the appraisal process.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the findings and outcomes of the South College Street Junction Improvements Project (Phase 2) - Option Appraisal Report (Appendix 1);

(b)      agree that Option 3 Signalised Junction (All movements permitted), described in paragraph 3.11 of the report, was the preferred option and should proceed to further development work, along with the wider active travel improvements on North Esplanade West identified in section 9 of Appendix 1;

(c)      instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to seek external funding to allow the continued development of the option agreed in (b), including the development of an Outline Business Case, and report the Outline Business Case to the Finance and Resources Committee once completed; and

(d)      note the findings of the option testing for the Riverside Drive active travel improvements (as described in paragraph 3.12 of this report) and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to seek external funding to allow for the continued development of wider active travel connectivity improvements adjacent to and across the River Dee at this location and report any findings to a future meeting of this Committee.

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

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

That the Committee:-

(a)      note the findings and outcomes of the South College Street Junction Improvements Project (Phase 2) - Option Appraisal Report (Appendix 1);

(b)        agree that Option 1 Pedestrian Crossing on Queen Elizabeth Bridge was the preferred option, noting that the public consultation indicated that minimum change was preferred.

(c)      note that this option required minimum capital spend.

However, if still considered necessary Instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to seek external funding to allow the continued development of the option agreed in (b), including the development of an Outline Business Case, and report the Outline Business Case to the Finance and Resources Committee once completed.

(d)      note the findings of the option testing for the Riverside Drive active travel improvements (as described in paragraph 3.12 of the report) and instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to seek external funding to allow for the continued development of wider active travel connectivity improvements adjacent to and across the River Dee at this location and report any findings to a future meeting of this Committee.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (8) – the Convener; the Vice Convener; and Councillors Ali, Blake, Henrickson, Hutchison, Nicoll and van Sweeden; for the amendment (1) – Councillor Massey.

The Committee resolved:-

to adopt the motion.

-       COUNCILLOR IAN YUILL, Convener