Agenda item

The Committee had before it a report by the Director of Commissioning which provided an update on the status of the Bus Lane Enforcement (BLE) programme and sought approval for a new programme of projects to be delivered from 2023/24, using the net surplus from the BLE system.

Members asked a number of questions in relation to the report and the projects outlined within.

The report recommended:-

that the Committee –

(a)      note the progress on the projects funded from the BLE programme up to 2022/23, as detailed in Appendix 1;

(b)      approve the proposed expenditure in relation to the Proposed Bus Lane Enforcement Programme Projects 2023/24, as detailed in Appendix 2;

(c)      agree that the projects identified in Appendix 2 met the requirements of the Bus Lane Contraventions (Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2011 in that the sums paid by way of charges under these Regulations were being used to facilitate the achievement of policies in the Local Transport Strategy; and

(d)      approve the implementation of the Proposed Bus Lane Enforcement Programme of Projects 2023/24 and delegate authority to the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to approve any procurement process, including direct awards, in accordance with procurement legislation and in collaboration with Commercial and Procurement Service (CPS) and CPS Legal.

The Committee resolved:-

(i)       to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would circulate the list of core path priority works and footway repairs (page 17 of the agenda refers);

(ii)       to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would advise Councillor Blake outwith the meeting in relation to Core Path 56 and whether this would be through Hazlehead Golf Course or around the perimeter;

(iii)      in relation to the query from Councillor Blake about the GIS information for cycle parking in her ward, to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would discuss out of date GIS information with appropriate officers and revert to Councillor Blake accordingly;

(iv)      to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would discuss the timeline for the repair of the Back Wynd steps with appropriate officers and advise Members accordingly;

(v)      in relation to cycle parking and maintenance stations (page 28 of the agenda refers), to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would circulate the list of locations to Members outwith the meeting;

(vi)      in relation to the Glashieburn School path project, to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would ask relevant officers to provide Members with an update on timelines and progress;

(vii)     to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would circulate a list of the cycle counter locations to Members outwith the meeting and if there were plans to roll these out in other locations;

(viii)    to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would ask appropriate officers to provide Members with an update on when the Donald’s Way Step Refurbishment programme was due to commence;

(ix)      in relation to the funding for Gaelic Medium Education transport, to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would ask relevant officers to ensure that journey sharing / environmentally friendly options were used where possible;

(x)      to request that officers clarify whether the £55,000 for the supported bus service for Kingswells was to provide additional travel options or whether it was in relation to the already announced service;

(xi)      to note that officers would provide an update to Members on the number of children who would be utilising the Gaelic Medium Education transport;

(xii)     to note that the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning would ascertain whether the contract with Stagecoach was only for this financial year and advise Members accordingly;

(xiii)    to approve recommendations 2.1 to 2.4 as contained in the report;

(xiv)    to welcome the range of small and impactful projects which the Bus Lane Enforcement Programme supported across the city on an annual basis;

(xv)     to note the recent increase in Penalty Charge Notices (Parking Fines) announced by the Scottish Government, the first increase in over 22 years, but that this did not include a corresponding increase in Bus Lane Enforcement fines which remained unchanged in over 10 years;

(xvi)    to note that Glasgow City Council are writing to the minister to seek approval for a similar increase in Bus Lane Enforcement fines and that they have sought support from Aberdeen City Council with their submission;

(xvii)   to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to notify Glasgow City Council that the Convener of Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee, in consultation with the Convener of Finance and Resources Committee, agreed to support the letter on behalf of Aberdeen City Council;

(xviii)  to note the recent announcement of £200,000 of funding to support the bus priority works in the city centre as part of the Bus Partnership Fund, which had secured £12million of capital and revenue investment to date;

(xix)    to note the complexity of the Bus Partnership Fund programme and that this would increase in the coming months and years;

(xx)     to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to set aside £272,000 from the Bus Lane Enforcement surplus of £389,000 in 22/23 to support the management of the Bus Partnership Fund project over the next three years, with any underspend put back into the Bus Lane Enforcement programme;

(xxi)    to note the recent decision of the Education and Children’s Services Committee in relation to Gaelic education, and the re-tender for the supported bus service from Kingswells to the City Centre being above budget;

(xxii)   to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to allocate £62,000 to school transport associated with Gaelic education and £55,000 to the supported service from Kingswells, from the 22/23 Bus Lane Enforcement Surplus; and

(xxiii)  to instruct the Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to prepare a service update for the meeting of 31 October 2023 which set out progress or otherwise with BLE projects during 2023.