Speed reduction measures backed

Long-awaited work to help reduce speeding in a northeast village has been backed by councillors.

Newmachar residents have been calling for measures to encourage motorists to slow down on the 30mph Corseduick Road and Hillbrae Way for a number of years.

As far back as summer 2016, monitoring studies by the local authority revealed the average speed of drivers on both routes was in excess of 40mph.

A further study was due to take place last February, but was never carried out.

East Garioch councillor Martin Ford brought the issue back to the table earlier this year, in an effort to finally find a resolution.

Yesterday councillors on the Garioch area committee discussed the options for the roads which included installing a zebra crossing or narrowing the carriageway on Hillbrae Way.

To allow this to happen a proper assessment would have to be carried out, which is scheduled to take place in July.

Another proposal offered in the report was the installation of a speed indicator device within the next two months as a temporary measure.

A similar device has also been earmarked for Corseduick Road.

Another option put forward was for the road width to be reduced which would force cars to slow down and give way to oncoming traffic.

Councillors Martin Ford and Fergus Hood said they were supportive of the measures proposed.

Mr Ford also suggested that traffic islands could be another way to help reduce speed on Hillbrae Way and this was echoed by Mr Hood.

And the committee gave approval to officers to begin work on Corseduick Road as soon as possible rather than waiting until the assessment on the other route was carried out.

Officers will now report back to the committee in August with the results of the assessment. A decision on scores of new houses for Inverurie has been deferred.

Cala Homes wants to build 57 homes adjacent to Crawford Road, the old A96.

Councillors on the Garioch area committee were asked to give their recommendation on the

“The garages aren’t big enough to fit cars”

plans to the infrastructure services committee which would make the final decision.

However, following a debate the committee agreed to instruct officers to ask for a masterplan for the remainder of the Conglass site.

The reasoning behind their decision is that part of the site would fall outwith the local development plan.

This would leave additional land which has been allocated for housing and it would be difficult for the committee to decline any application brought forward in the future.

Councillors now want officers to find out what Cala has planned for this remaining land.

It is also likely the committee will have to take a decision on additional parking for the site.

Currently the garages that will be built adjacent to the houses will not be large enough to accommodate most car types.

This means vehicles will have to be parked on driveways which could result in on-street parking.

To avoid this additional parking bays would have to be built. Roads officers said this had become a common problem with housing schemes.

Committee chairman Fergus Hood said: “I will be raising this with our officers as I don’t think it’s appropriate that developers should be bringing forward plans where the garages aren’t big enough to fit cars.”