Junction works still on track, say councillors

Improvement works at a notorious Aberdeen junction are still on schedule, according to the council. The junction between Shielhill Road and the B999 Potterton to Bridge of Don road has been causing issues for years for motorists and the people who live near it.

Alistair Laird, who lives next to the junction, says his life has been made difficult by the sheer volume of traffic using the junction and driving along Shielhill Road.

The noisy traffic became such a problem that he commissioned a traffic data company to analyse how many vehicles drove past his property over seven days.

Mr Laird says the problems with the junction have been bad since he moved in almost nine years ago but argued the volume of traffic using it is increasing.

He said: “The speed some people drive along here at the junction is just unbelievable.

“My neighbour and I are just appalled. We’ve seen people speed up to the junction, brake and skid right across the road.

“Somebody is going to get killed at this junction.”

The junction lies close to the North Denmore housing development.

Councillors on Aberdeen city council’s capital programme committee heard an update on work to progress £640,000-worth of improvement works at the junction.

At the start of 2020, planning was under way for the project, but the pandemic set the plans back.

However, preliminary design and preparation works have now begun.

These works include an assessment of traffic flow in the area following the completion of the Aberdeen bypass and land title confirmation.

A report from officers says progress of the project remains on programme, and construction could start by the financial year 2023-24, assuming the voluntary acquisition of land required and no further setbacks caused by Covid.

During the committee meeting, SNP councillor Michael Hutchison proposed an amendment asking that officers be instructed to “investigate the feasibility of bringing forward design works at the earliest opportunity” and report to the city growth and resources committee.

Mr Hutchison said: “My colleagues have been raising this consistently, and I assume the administration councillors will be the same.

“If there is anything that can be done to speed that up, I’m supportive of that.”

However, his amendment was defeated by five votes to four, and the committee agreed to note the programme milestones and associated financial implications.

Councillors argued that if the Shielhill project was pushed forward, it could have a detrimental impact on other projects.

Independent councillor and committee convener Marie Boulton said: “Members are all equally concerned that this is delivered as soon as possible,” adding: “All of the elements that need to be done to get it delivered are now under way. What we can’t forecast is any delays because of Covid or anything else, and it’s got to go through a statutory process.

“We are beholden to various processes in terms of land, etc.

“There are a number of things that have to be considered.

“It’s not just simply ‘let’s throw a few more resources at it to make it happen quicker’, there is a process that has been commenced, and there’s a logical order it has to go through.”

She added: “I don’t think anybody is resting on their laurels. I think we’d be further along the road, excuse the pun, if we hadn’t had Covid.

“But I do believe officers now have this firmly in their grasp, and we will see progress made that we would hope to see made.”

Picture by Kath Flannery. NOTORIOUS: The council says construction work on the site could begin in the 2023-24 financial year, all going well.