Public’s feedback to shape safety in city areas

Residents have been given a voice in how their local area’s safety can be improved.

The Tilly-Wood Street Design Project, led by Sustrans and Aberdeen City Council, aims to improve the link between the communities of Woodside and Tillydrone, which are currently parted by a railway line.

The area was earmarked by the council for extensive redevelopment along with five other areas within the city.

Last month developers invited the views of local residents, in anticipation of the project reaching its development stage in November.

For many, the project served not only as a chance to highlight safety concerns, but also

“Improve the link between Woodside and Tillydrone”

an opportunity to bring to light woes concerning the aesthetic state of the areas.

Local councillor Lesley Dunbar said: ‘The recent consultation shows that local people know their area best and that they are well placed to make suggestions on how to improve the streets for everyone.

“There’s some great suggestions, from making pavements and streets safer to walk on, to widening areas where it is difficult to use a buggy or a wheelchair, to providing benches for people to be able to sit.”

Ms Dunbar and councillor Ross Grant will now ensure the costs of the developments are put into the council’s budget setting process for the 2019/20 period.

The data collected during the resident consultation period will be used to generate designs which will then be trialled on-street in May next year, before being implemented by the council in the future.