Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Executive Director City Regeneration and Environment which provided an update on a preferred package of active travel improvements arising from the Multi-Modal Transport Corridor Study for the Westhill to Aberdeen City Centre corridor (elements within the Aberdeen City boundary only), and sought approval for the next steps.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the outcomes of the Detailed Appraisal (Appendix 2) undertaken for the Westhill to Aberdeen City Centre Multi-Modal Transport Corridor Study;

(b)      agree that those measures, described in paragraph 3.11 of the report, relevant to the Aberdeen City area, form a preferred package of active travel improvements on the Westhill to Aberdeen City Centre corridor; and

(c)      instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to report an Outline

Business Case for the elements of the preferred package within the city boundary to the Finance and Resources Committee at the earlier opportunity.

Members asked a number of questions of officers.

As part of the questioning, mention was made of NESTRANS, and the Convener, the Vice Convener and Councillor Hutchison made transparency statements at this juncture due to being members of NESTRANS. They did not consider however that this amounted to an interest which would require them to leave the meeting.

Councillor Cooke, in attendance at the meeting and participating in the questioning, also made a transparency statement as he was a member of the vestry of St Mary’s Cathedral which was on Carden Place, one of the routes which was mentioned in the report.  He did not consider that this amounted to an interest which would require him to leave the meeting.

The Committee was addressed by Councillor Greig, Councillor Mrs Stewart, Councillor Delaney and Councillor Cooke, raising concerns in relation to the recommendations on behalf of their constituents.

Prior to speaking, Councillor Greig made a transparency statement as he was an Elder at Fountainhall Church which was near Carden Place, one of the routes which was mentioned in the report.  He did not consider that this amounted to an interest which would require him to leave the meeting.

The Committee was advised by the Clerk that a motion had been received from the Convener, an amendment from the Vice Convener, an amendment from Councillor Massey (who had now been substituted by Councillor Farquhar) and that Councillor Blake would be moving the recommendations in the report.

In terms of Standing Order 29.8, Councillor Massey’s amendment was withdrawn at this juncture.

The Convener, seconded by Councillor Farquhar, moved:-

That the Committee:-

(a)      notes the outcomes of the Detailed Appraisal (Appendix 2) undertaken for the Westhill to Aberdeen City Centre Multi-Modal Transport Corridor Study;  and

(b)      notes that there is no funding for this project and agrees to take no action.

The Vice Convener, seconded by Councillor Hutchison, moved as an amendment:-

That the Committee:-

(a)      notes the outcomes of the Detailed Appraisal (Appendix 2) undertaken for the Westhill to Aberdeen City Centre Multi-Modal Transport Corridor Study;

(b)      notes the preferred package of active travel improvement, as outlined in the report, however disagrees with the outcome of the options appraisal which uses the A9119 to link Kingswells to the City Centre;

(c)      recognises that the outcome of the Detailed Appraisal report outlines “Gradient issues heading westbound on the A944 are clearly unfavourable with cyclists, and cycle conditions on the A9119 appear preferable (as seen through the Strava data analysis); and As there is insufficient space at numerous locations along each corridor to accommodate both bus lanes and segregated cycle lanes (those which can meet current design best practice standards), these end-to-end options were developed on the basis that the infrastructure required for one mode may therefore need to be prioritised over the other.”;

(d)      agrees that despite this, the Kingswells to City Centre via A944 is the most appropriate route for active travel provision and agrees that the route should only extend to ARI at this point;

(e)      notes that the Aberdeen Rapid Transit report, which uses the A944 as its preferred route, is due to be reported back by the end of the financial year 24/25;

(f)       instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to incorporate the options for active travel provision into the Aberdeen Rapid Transit report to be reported back at the earliest opportunity; and

(g)      recognises that there is currently no funding identified for this project and instructs the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to work with NESTRANS to identify potential external funding sources.

Councillor Blake, seconded by Councillor Ali, moved as a further amendment:-

That the Committee approve the recommendations contained in the report.

During the debate, there was mention of Gilcomstoun School and Councillor Hutchison made a transparency statement to advise that his daughter attended Gilcomstoun, however he did not consider this amounted to an interest which would require him to withdraw from the meeting.

There being a motion and two amendments, the Committee first divided between the two amendments.

On a division, there voted:- for the amendment by the Vice Convener (5) – the Vice Convener and Councillors Henrickson, Hutchison, Nicoll and van Sweeden; for the amendment by Councillor Blake (2) – Councillor Ali and Councillor Blake; declined to vote (2) – the Convener and Councillor Farquhar.

The Committee then divided between the motion and the amendment by the Vice Convener.

On a division, there voted:- for the motion (2) – the Convener and Councillor Farquhar; for the amendment (5) – the Vice Convener and Councillors Henrickson, Hutchison, Nicoll and van Sweeden; declined to vote (2) – Councillors Ali and Blake.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would ask officers to circulate information to Members in relation to the active travel solution in place for Ashgrove Connects;

(ii)       to note that officers would provide Councillor Mrs Stewart with the analysis of the expected uptake by cyclists if the scheme were implemented;

(iii)      to note that Councillor Mrs Stewart had advised that she had received reports that the filter on the Mounthooly Roundabout onto King Street was often not working which caused problems for cyclists, and to note that the Chief Officer – Operations would highlight this to the Roads Operation Manager;

(iv)      to note that the Chief Officer – Operations would ask the Roads Operations Manager to provide information to Members outwith the meeting on (a) any data held in respect of vehicles, including buses, going through red lights; and (b) whether members of the public would be able to apply for disabled parking bays on the proposed route while this project was being progressed or whether that would not be possible;

(v)      to note that officers would continue to review and update the Integrated Impact Assessment throughout the project; and

(vi)      to adopt the amendment by the Vice Convener.