Agenda item

DECLARATION OF INTEREST

Councillor Young declared an interest by virtue of his position as a Council appointed Governor to the Board of Oakbank School and left the meeting prior to the Committee’s deliberations.

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure which advised of the outcome of pedestrian surveys, undertaken in accordance with methods adopted by Aberdeen City Council, to determine whether a controlled pedestrian crossing facility was justified on King’s Gate near to its junction with Forest Road.

As a result of the relocation of Mile-End School from its former site on Midstocket Road to the new location off Raeden Park Road, concerns were raised at a public meeting by the Mile-End Primary School Parent Council and the elected members in relation to suitability of crossing points on King’s Gate.  At the time of the initial enquiry, the new school had not yet opened, therefore it was agreed that pedestrian surveys would be undertaken following the opening of the school to assess whether a controlled crossing was justified.

The report provided an overview of the current situation at King’s Gate for Mile-End School pupils.  In terms of the survey undertaken, it was advised that when considering possible sites for a pedestrian facility, standard methods of assessment adopted by Aberdeen City Council had been utilised.  These methods measure not only traffic and pedestrian flow, but also other factors such as carriageway width, accident history, and local facilities such as schools, shops, etc.  A detailed explanation of the survey utilised was provided.

In accordance with the aforementioned approved policy, a PV² value of 1.0 x 10⁸ or above would qualify for the provision of a controlled crossing.  A value of less than 0.7 x 10⁸ would not qualify for any type of crossing facility but the location in question would continue to be monitored.  At locations where a PV² value of between 0.7 x 10⁸ and 1.0 x 10⁸ the provision of a zebra crossing would be considered.  The survey carried out in April 2010 generated a PV² figure of 0.523x10⁸.  The figure calculated from the January 2011 survey results was 0.489x10⁸ thus a controlled pedestrian crossing facility was not justified at this location based upon national guidance and the locally adopted policy.

Finally, the report highlighted that a planning application for a residential development on the former Oakbank school site had been submitted and was due for determination in the very near future.  The proposed development, if approved, would make provision for a controlled pedestrian crossing on Kings Gate to meet the accessibility needs of the application.  It was intended that officers would meet with the developer to consider a crossing position that met the needs of the development and address the existing road safety concern. 

The Committee resolved:-

(i)         to agree that no further action be taken in relation to the provision of a controlled pedestrian crossing facility on King’s Gate near to its junction with Forest Road; and

(ii)        to note that officers were holding discussions with the developer of the former Oakbank School site to determine a suitable location on King’s Gate for a controlled pedestrian crossing facility which would be included as a condition of the planning approval.