Calls to add bike lane in city revamp

Group’s council plea over South College Street scheme

A cycling group has urged Aberdeen council bosses to add a bike lane to a multi-million-pound roads revamp.

The local authority has launched a hunt for a contractor to improve and widen South College Street.

Under the plans, Palmerston Place would be extended eastwards to connect South College Street with North Esplanade West, boosting junction capacity with an additional traffic lane along South College Street between Wellington Place and Millburn Street.

The project aims to fit with other measures like the AWPR, Berryden Corridor, Diamond Bridge and Haudagain bypass to reduce traffic in the city centre.

But Aberdeen Cycle Forum have hit out at the lack of dedicated bike lanes as part of the scheme.

Rachel Martin, of the group, said she had written to council transport spokeswoman Sandra Macdonald on the issue.

She said: “We are always hopeful for improved cycling infrastructure in the city and we are hopeful some can be added to this scheme. Presumably the council must have plans before they are asking for contractors but we have not seen them.

“I think it’s crazy if they were considering adding an extra lane for vehicles without considering the needs of pedestrians and cyclists.

“My worry is that these plans are so old and that the strategy around cycling has completely changed, I don’t think these plans, without cycling infrastructure, would match in with the masterplan ambition of making Aberdeen a cycling city.”

Mrs Macdonald said she would reply to the group to “reassure” them the council was prioritising cycling.

She said: “South College Street is one part of the jigsaw which ultimately aims to reduce traffic in the city centre and make it a more cycling and pedestrian-friendly place generally.

“We want people to go to the city centre as a destination rather than go through it and that is why this piece of infrastructure will fit in with the likes of the AWPR. But we have a fairly short window of opportunity to lock in the benefits of the AWPR so we need to act quickly.”

“Worry is strategy on cycling has completely changed”

Photograph by Heather Fowlie CONTRACTOR WANTED: South College Street is to be widened and improved, and many want a bike lane added.