Agenda item
Motion by Councillor Delaney
That Committee:-
1. Notes the decision of Council of 29 June 2016 to permit buses, cyclists and pedestrians to use the “shared surface” proposed for Broad Street;
2. Notes the concerns raised by people with visual, hearing and mobility loss regarding the safe use of the planned “shared surface” on Broad Street;
3. Agrees that in the interests of public safety Broad Street should be fully pedestrianised between its junctions with Upperkirkgate and Queen Street and to instruct the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment to commence the traffic regulation order for this measure with costs for this legal process to be met from contingencies and to report to the appropriate committee in this regard; and
4. Instructs the Interim Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to explore with Sustrans any funding implications which may arise from this change and to report this to the appropriate committee.
Minutes:
The Committee had before it the following notice of motion by Councillor Delaney.
That the Committee:-
1. Notes the decision of Council of 29 June 2016 to permit buses, cyclists and pedestrians to use the “shared surface” proposed for Broad Street;
2. Notes the concerns raised by people with visual, hearing and mobility loss regarding the safe use of the planned “shared surface” on Broad Street;
3. Agrees that in the interests of public safety Broad Street should be fully pedestrianised between its junctions with Upperkirkgate and Queen Street and to instruct the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment to commence the traffic regulation order for this measure with costs for this legal process to be met from contingencies and to report to the appropriate committee in this regard; and
4. Instructs the Interim Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to explore with Sustrans any funding implications which may arise from this change and to report this to the appropriate committee.
Councillor Hutchison proposed the following revision to the notice of motion which was accepted by Councillor Delaney and thereafter:-
Councillor Delaney moved, seconded by Councillor Hutchison:-
That the Committee:-
1. Notes the decision of Council of 29 June 2016 to permit buses, cyclists and pedestrians to use the “shared surface” proposed for Broad Street;
2. Notes the concerns raised by people with visual, hearing and mobility loss regarding the safe use of the planned “shared surface” on Broad Street;
3. Agrees that in the interests of public safety Broad Street should be fully pedestrianised between its junctions with Upperkirkgate and Queen Street and to instruct the Head of Public Infrastructure and Environment to commence the traffic regulation order for this measure with costs for this legal process to be met from contingencies and to report to the appropriate committee in this regard; and that this report identifies a safe segregated cycling route as well as accessibility routes into Marischal College, following consultation with the Disability Equity Partnership;
4. Instructs the Interim Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to explore with Sustrans any funding implications which may arise from this change and to report this to the appropriate committee; and
5. Instructs the Interim Director of Communities Housing and Infrastructure to enter into discussions with bus operators regarding changes to bus routes and stops as a result of a road closure between Upperkirkgate and Queen Street to lessen the impact upon city centre residents seeking to access routes and report back to the relevant committee; and that officers are instructed to review the traffic light sequencing on routes including, but not exclusive to, Union Street, King Street and West North to reflect a permanent closure.
Councillor Lumsden moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Bell:-
That the Committee;-
1. Agrees that changing the Council’s policy on Broad Street, before we have seen the impact of buses, cycles and pedestrians using the shared space, will have significant implications for our established transport strategy agreed at the Communities, Housing and Infrastructure ‘Committee’ on 20th January 2016. Notes that there may also be implications for the funding already secured from Sustrans in support of the delivery of the project;
2. Agrees that the existing Traffic Regulation Order would have to be amended and any such amendment would require to go through a lengthy legal process. This two stage process is likely to cause delays to the completion of the scheme and it would be May 2018 at the earliest before the legal process could be completed, noting this process would be open to objections, particularly from the public transport operators which may result in the requirement for a Public Hearing, extending the timescale for delivery by a further 6 to 9 months;
3. Agrees to proceed with the full implementation of the Broad Street partial pedestrianisation as previously agreed at Council on 29th June 2016;
4. Instructs the Interim Head of Planning and Sustainable Development to carry out a full review of the Broad Street partial pedestrianisation, (one year after opening) on the effectiveness of the scheme, the implications on the City centre network, the CCMP and reporting back with recommendations taking into consideration (2) above to members at the earliest opportunity.
On a division, there voted:-
For the motion (8) – Councillors Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Hutchison, McRae and Nicol.
For the amendment (9) – The Convener, Vice Convener Bell and Councillors Donnelly, Duncan, Graham, Imrie, Lumsden, Macdonald and Jennifer Stewart.
Following the vote, Councillor Delaney intimated that he wished to refer the Notice of Motion to Full Council in terms of standing order 31.1.
Councillor Delaney was supported by Councillors Copland, Cormie, Jackie Dunbar, Flynn, Hutchison, McRae and Nicol.
The Committee resolved:-
(i) to approve the amendment; and
(ii) to refer the notice of motion to Full Council in terms of standing order 31.1.