Agenda item

The Committee then received a deputation from Linda Walker, Alex Mitchell and Ken Vettese in relation to item 10.1 (Westhill to Aberdeen City Centre Active Travel). 

Mr Vettese advised that he lived in Albert Terrace.  He stated that the idea of introducing a cycle way from Westhill to the city centre had no doubt been proposed with the most noble of intentions, but the reality was that this plan would not improve the wellbeing of the city and would in all probability achieve the opposite.  He advised that the impact on Queens Road, Carden Place and Skene Street would be significant, and far from making lives better, would make the lives of the residents thoroughly miserable, with increased pollution and a major increase in noise.  He added that noise pollution in particular would be a significant issue as the residences were B-listed and currently single glazed.  If double-glazing was to be permitted, it would be heritage and extremely expensive in order to retain the appearance of the properties.  He stated that one would assume a grant from the Council would be appropriate, but unlikely in these days of financial constraints.  He explained that the proposed route also passed by a number of primary and secondary schools, which should raise safety concerns, not necessarily from cars but also from bicycles, electric bicycles and scooters which could be very dangerous at high speed, particularly as they were silent.  He added that the removal of a very large number of parking places on residential streets would inevitably create issues on any side street where spaces could be found.  It was also unclear how this would allow delivery vehicles and general trades vehicles to access residences without blocking the proposed cycle lanes.  If scaffolding were required, this could take a significant amount of time.  Mr Vettese added that the hospitality industry was only just recovering from the pandemic, and he asked how the Council proposed to support the hotels on Queens Road with their limited parking for large functions and the requirement for numerous taxis at the end of the evening. 

The Committee then heard from Mrs Walker, who was a resident of Carden Place.  Mrs Walker advised that she could only speak from her observations as a resident of Carden Place, having lived there for a number of years.  She referred to page 161 of the committee report, where she noted it said that there was currently no identified budget to proceed beyond outline business case stage, therefore any progress beyond that stage would be dependent on the sourcing of continued external funding.  She added that the Stantec report, based on public consultation, stated that only 28% of those asked thought that wheeling and cycling connectivity and infrastructure needed improvement, against 67% who stated that it did not.  64% of those asked did not think that the route should be progressed.  79% of those who took part did not think that they would change the way they travelled if the wheeling and cycling between Westhill and Aberdeen city centre were improved.  She added that the report highlighted that respondents had concerns about the economic impact it would have on local businesses and the city centre.  There were concerns about parking issues which would create significant inconvenience, such as accessing eateries, banks and the two local churches on Carden Place where funeral parking would be an issue.  Mrs Walker asked if any traffic modelling had been done, and if so, where was it available for members of the public to see.  She added that they had observed that very few cyclists travelled in and out of the city, and therefore why were double cycling lanes needed on Albyn Place and two single lanes on Carden Place.  She noted that the loss of parking on Carden Place to residents and local businesses would have a significant impact.  Mrs Walker stated that if the proposals went ahead, parking zones would have to be reviewed as Carden Place residents would be disadvantaged by the loss of parking. 

The proposals would have a significant impact on the B and C listed buildings which required ongoing maintenance and repair, as there would be no on-street parking available for contractors.  She added that there would be no on-street parking for carers, delivery drivers, Royal Mail, visitors and families visiting the residents on Carden Place from outwith the area who could not easily access public transport, which was also very unreliable.  Mrs Walker explained that removal of parking on Carden Place would have a big impact on street parking in neighbouring residential streets.  She noted that the regeneration of Aberdeen city centre relied on people coming into the city to shop, eat, visit places of entertainment and conduct business.  The loss of parking in the area would deter the free movement of people coming into the city.  She asked where all the secure parking spaces for cycles were located in the city centre, and if an increase in cyclists would bring prosperity to the local economy in comparison with the revenue raised from motorists who chose to park in the city centre and did not choose cycles or public transport.  Mrs Walker asked if the effect of the increase in noise and pollution on the hundreds of school pupils who walk to and from the two schools in the vicinity had been considered.  The road safety concerns for cyclists and pupils because of the significant amount of extra traffic being diverted onto Carden Place was of great concern.  She added it was clear from their observations that running groups, walkers, children from schools, nurseries and families regularly walked and ran on Carden Place, and stated that rather than progress the proposal, it would be far better to improve the pavements and street lighting to encourage people to walk in and out of the city centre, with zero impact on the environment.  She noted that if the proposal went ahead, it would cause a significant increase in noise, smells, fumes and other pollution in Carden Place, where most of the properties were residential.  On the south side of Carden Place, she advised that the front walls of properties were only five metres from the carriageway.  It would detrimentally affect access to the dental and medical practice and local businesses in the area.  The extra congestion in the area would cause a big increase in rat-running on other roads and side streets, mainly on King’s Gate, Rosemount Place, Cromwell Road, Union Grove or Great Western Road, to avoid the undoubted congestion on Albyn Place and Carden Place.  She concluded by stating that the back lanes would also become dangerous and rat-run.

The Committee then heard from Mr Mitchell, who advised that he was a very keen cyclist and although he did not know how many other cyclists there were in the room apart from the Convener, he explained about the journey he had experienced on his way to the meeting.  He had left the Bridge of Don and advised that in the cycle lanes, which had been there for some time, he encountered twelve potholes.  He explained that if people had ever been on a very narrow cycle lane, when a pothole was encountered, as a cyclist you felt extremely vulnerable when there was a thirty tonne lorry alongside, or a bus or even a car.  He advised that his main concern was that while he thought it was a great idea to put in lots of cycle lanes, it was important to have cycle lanes that were well-maintained.  He noted that the other issue with the current cycle lanes was on the approach to junctions where there was a facility for cycles to jump in front of the traffic into a protective box.  He stated that when driving around Aberdeen, it could be found that most of those boxes no longer had the cycle markings on them, and often a car could be found in them.  He explained that he was very concerned that cycle lanes were put in place, but were not maintained, and that would put people off cycling.  He also suggested that if a person was to breach the low emission zone, and was fined, they could be given a voucher towards buying a bicycle.  If they continued to be fined and collected enough vouchers, they would have a bicycle and would no longer require to take their car into town. 

Members asked a number of questions of the deputation. 

At this juncture, the Committee agreed to suspend Standing Order 14.14 to enable all questions to be asked once the allotted ten minutes for questions had passed.

The Committee resolved:-

to thank Mrs Walker, Mr Vettese and Mr Mitchell for their deputation.