New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – C89C Chapel of Stoneywood – Fairley Road

Start Date and Time : 17 June 2017 00:00
End Date and Time : 11 January 2018 18:00

Location : C89C Chapel of Stoneywood – Fairley Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

The effect of the order, which will operate from 00:00 on 17 June, 2017, until 18:00 on 11 January, 2018, is to impose a temporary 40mph speed restriction on the C89C Chapel of Stoneywood-Fairley Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with the C88C Newhills Road and Kingswells Crescent.

There will also be a prohibition of right turn manoeuvres at the junction with the C89C Chapel of Stoneywood-Fairley Road on to the two new access roads approximately 75 metres north east of Dykeside Steading.

The measures are necessary to protect public safety during the movement of construction vehicles associated with the AWPR.

No 218 Park & Ride Service Resumed


Stagecoach’s 218 is essentially the replacement for the X18, calling at Kingswells Park & Ride, albeit with a much reduced frequency.

Unfortunately this service stopped picking up and dropping off passengers at the Park & Ride without prior warning over two weeks ago. Local councillor Steve Delaney has been working with Stagecoach to have this link restored.

Steve said, “I’m pleased to say that Stagecoach have confirmed they will resume the picking up and dropping off of passengers on the 218 service at Kingswells Park & Ride with immediate effect”.

“No boardings will be permitted after Kingswells on the way in to the city centre and no drop offs will be permitted before Kingswells on the way back towards Alford”.

Council Dithers And Delays On Kingswells Buses

Each year councillors are presented with a list of projects which can be funded as a result of fines collected from drivers caught using bus lanes. These monies can only be used to support initiatives which deliver on priorities set out in the Council’s Local Transport Strategy.

One of the proposals included funding to mitigate the loss of bus services in Kingswells Village and the Dubford/Danestone areas, as well as the removal of the service linking Aberdeen Airport to Dyce Railway station. This initiative was in the list of new projects which would be progressed as more fines were collected throughout the year, but it was ranked 16th on the list.

Liberal Democrat Infrastructure Spokesman Steve Delaney said, “I was pleased to see this proposal on the list but in reality it was never going to happen, sitting in 16th place. For that reason, I asked for it to be moved to third place on the list. Unfortunately this attracted no support from other councillors at the committee”.

Councillors instead decided to hold back on a decision regarding Kingswells buses pending a fuller report on bus services across the city which comes to full Council on 21st June.

Steve said, “I find it hard to believe that prioritising the employment of a cycle officer, the funding of number plate recognition technology and the reinstatement of a walkway, to name just three projects, should rank above ensuring that Kingswells is not left without a bus service. This really beggars belief. I made it clear to fellow councillors that Kingswells can’t wait for a city wide solution and that I would be expecting to see proposals specific to Kingswells next month”.

Regardless of the unwillingness to fund a service from these monies, there did appear to be a cross party understanding of the issues affecting Kingswells residents and an acceptance that matters must be resolved as a matter of priority. On that basis Steve will continue to work with Council officers and indeed across party lines to ensure that a solution is found.

He added, “Although deeply disappointed by today’s outcome I will take people at face value in the meantime. Clearly the proof of the pudding is in the eating and we will hopefully see some meaningful progress on 21st June”.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Gairsay Road

Start Date and Time : 12 June 2017 07:30
End Date and Time : 11 December 2018 18:00

Location : Gairsay Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 07.30 on 12 June, 2017, until 18:00 on 11 December, 2018, is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting at any time on either side of Gairsay Road, Aberdeen, from a point 10m west of lighting pole number 5 to a point 20m east of lighting pole number 5.

There will also be a prohibition of waiting between 07:30 and 18:00 Mon-Fri, on either side of Gairsay Road, Aberdeen, from its junction with Stronsay Drive to a point 20m east of lighting pole number 5. The measure is necessary to protect public safety at to maintain access to a construction site.

Tour Series Cycle Race In City centre On Thursday 25th May

Britain’s top men’s professional cycling teams will compete in Round 8 of the Tour Series in Aberdeen on Thursday 25th May.

Scottish Cycling will host a range of amateur races between 1.00pm and 6.00pm. The men’s Tour Series gets underway at 7.30pm and the presentation to the winners will be at approximately 9pm.

There will be a Cycling Activity Village in Union Terrace Gardens with a range of displays and activities from 12.30pm until 6.30pm on race day.

You can find out more about the day’s events here.

A number of roads in the city centre will be closed between 7am and midnight on 25th May.

Councillor Steve Delaney re-elected after Landslide!

Kingswells, Sheddocksley, Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney has been re-elected to Aberdeen City Council in a landslide result on a 45.5% turnout. Steve polled 1825 votes, more than double his 2012 result. This was also more than double the number of votes cast for his nearest rival.

Steve said, “I extend my grateful thanks to everyone who supported me at this election. I’m doing a job I enjoy and I’m delighted to have been re-elected for a second successive term”.

“I would also like to thank my agent, my family and the “army” of local volunteers who helped deliver this result. I really couldn’t have done it without you all!”.

“I’m taking the weekend off to spend time with the family, then the hard work starts on Monday. Thanks again to everyone”.

Listening to People – Working for an Even Better Aberdeen

On Friday 28th April Aberdeen Liberal Democrats launched their manifesto for the council elections.

Liberal Democrats believe that local elections should be about important local issues and basic services vital to local communities. Their key priorities for Aberdeen over the next five years were identified as:

• Taking action to improve the education and life chances of Aberdeen’s children and young people.

• Empowering Aberdeen’s citizens and communities.

• Improving transport within our city, including making a real start to repairing Aberdeen’s crumbling roads and pavements.

• Making streets safer for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers.

• Delivering, with partners, 2,500 homes to rent by 2022 with the emphasis firmly on social housing.

• Protecting our city centre, Green Belt and local communities from inappropriate developments.

• Retaining and improving local community and sports facilities.

Key to delivering these aspirations will be achieving fairer treatment for our city and its citizens from the Scottish Government.

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Ian Yuill said, “Our commitment is to work with the citizens of Aberdeen and we aim to deliver for them.

“Aberdeen a city with a long and proud heritage, a city with a record of valuing education, a city with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a city which embraces links across Europe and around the world.

“Sadly, over the last five years Aberdeen City Council has been controlled by a coalition of Labour, Conservative and “Independent” councillors who have inflicted the Marischal Square development on our city centre, allowed major council building projects to go over budget and over time and sought to pick fights with the Scottish Government.

“Our city, its citizens and business community deserve better. Over the next five years Aberdeen’s Liberal Democrat councillors will work to deliver the best possible services, to strengthen our city’s economy and improve people’s life chances and quality of life.

“We will focus on delivering the best possible local services for Aberdeen’s citizens and businesses. We will not use the council chamber to re-fight national political battles.”

“We will continue to oppose the SNP Government’s policies of centralisation and separation.

“Unlike other parties, we are not dictated to by the Central Belt and our priority will always be the interests of Aberdeen and its citizens.”

The full manifesto is available to download here.

Latest News On Kingswells Buses Situation

First Train Drivers In Kingswells

Over the last couple of weeks FirstAberdeen have been training drivers in Kingswells. This has understandably angered local residents. Steve Delaney, who saw two drivers being trained in Kingswells said, “This really beggars belief following on from First pulling out of Kingswells. I’ve been contacted by a number of residents who were clearly upset by by First’s display of total arrogance and insensitivity”.

“I appreciate they can train where they like, but this is surely rubbing salt into the wounds. Besides, drivers don’t need to be familiar with Kingswells any more so there’s no defensible reason for doing so. Clearly First has no shame, though I doubt that comes as a surprise to Kingswells residents”.

Some Connection Problems With the No 94 Shuttle Bus

Generally speaking the No 94 shuttle bus has been working well for those who are able to make use of it, accepting of course that many cannot do so as a result of its restricted hours of operation. Unfortunately there have been some issues with Stagecoach drivers pulling off from the P&R just as the 94 was coming in, resulting in people being late for work.

Steve Delaney has raised this with Stagecoach. Whilst they cannot hold up their services waiting for any late buses, they have agreed to hold back a minute or two if the 94 is within sight they prepare to pull off. However, some of the issues relate to the 94 timetable which is designed to link with the new X17 which comes into play from 8th May. When these changes come in there should hopefully be less issues arising in respect of connections.

Steve Delaney said, “The 94 is working well for some people but is completely useless for others. It can only ever be regarded as a stop gap solution and we need to get a better service in place as soon as possible. Subject to being re-elected on 4th May, you can be reassured this will remain my top priority”.

Broadband Update for Derbeth, Concraig and Wellside

As those of you who live in the Derbeth, Concraig and Wellside areas of Kingswells know, being connected to TPON & Exchange Only technology has prevented your line from being upgraded to high speed fibre broadband. But there is GOOD news!

In response to ongoing correspondence with BT, local councillor Steve Delaney was informed that “There has been significant positive progress on both the TPON and EO situation within Kingswells from within the Digital Scotland programme”. He went on to say that the Digital Scotland website will be updated to reflect the changed circumstances very soon.

Since then, new cabinets have gone up in the Derbeth area, so all is looking positive, though timescales are not yet available. Last year there was a breakthrough with the EO lines and some parts of Kingswells which were on these lines have now been upgraded. The rest will hopefully follow soon, though everything did come to an abrupt halt a few months ago.

Up until now there was no guarantee that the TPON lines would be upgraded as part of the current programme which is nearing its end. Hard to convert areas were deferred to the end of the programme to allow for technological advances and more cost effective solutions to be explored. Kingswells fell into that category.

There will be further updates as more details become available.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Mastrick Road

Start Date and Time : 08 May 2017 08:00
End Date and Time : 09 May 2017 22:00

Location : Mastrick Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on Mastrick Road, Aberdeen, on the inset road to numbers 37 to 47 Mastrick Road from the junction of the main carriageway of Mastrick road and a point 10 metres southwards from 08:00 on 8 May, 2017, until 22:00 on 9 May, 2017. There will also be a prohibition of waiting on either side Mastrick Road, Aberdeen, between the junctions of Ross Crescent and the inset road to numbers 37 to 47 Mastrick Road from 08:00 on 8 May, 2017, until 22:00 on 9 May, 2017. The no-waiting restrictions will only be implemented as and when required, and will be demarcated by the use of no-waiting cones. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during duct laying works being carried out by City Fibre.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via Ross Crescent, Willowpark Crescent and North Anderson Drive inset road.

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – C93C Borrowstone Road

Start Date and Time : 24 April 2017 05:30
End Date and Time : 01 May 2017 06:00

Location : C93C Borrowstone Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 05:30 on 24 April, 2017, until 06:00 on 1 May, 2017, is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on the C93C Borrowstone Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with the A944 Skene Road and a point 50 metres north of Westholme. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route works.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via the B979 Kirkton of Skene-Tyrebagger, Westhill Drive, and the A944 Skene Road.

First Week Of The 94/X94 Bus Service

Initial feedback on this service has been mostly positive, following initial problems at the start of the week, but it is clear that that can never be more than a “sticky plaster” until a full service is put in place.

Some people had issues catching the bus on Monday as the drivers were not stopping at all the bus stops. This was further compounded by several X17 services not turning up during morning peak.

Matters were not helped by someone removing the bus timetables from the bus stops last weekend. This was quickly resolved but did cause initial problems. There was also confusion caused as to which bus stops were being used as all the bus stops said that no services stopped there! Again, quickly corrected.

Unfortunately the bus does not stop at intermediate stops outwith Kingswells. This is not good news for people who work at Woodhill House who have to walk to/from ARI, despite the fact it passes Woodhill House anyway. There are no doubt other places of work affected in a similar manner.

Overall journeys are lengthy and inconvenient as a result of requiring two or three buses to reach your destination. The real test will of course be when everything returns to normal after the Easter break and whether or not the X17 has sufficient capacity.

Please continue to keep Steve advised of any further difficulties you encounter with the service so I can feed these back to the Council.

NHS Shuttle Bus

It was mentioned at the public meeting on 30th March that NHS Grampian would be running a shuttle bus directly between ARI and Kingswells at certain times of day to ensure NHS staff can get to and from work following the withdrawal of the X40.

There was a glimmer of hope that they may also allow local Kingswells residents to make use of the service. Local councillor Steve Delaney explored this possibility with NHS Grampian earlier in the week.

He said, “This is a temporary service put in place by NHS Grampian during the construction of their car park at ARI in order to fill the gap left by the withdrawal of the X40. It is in place until July and there’s currently no commitment beyond that date. Unfortunately they are unable to transport Kingswells residents on that service as it is only available to NHS badge holders, who will be required to show their ID badges”.

“In order to transport non-employees, they would need to register the route with the Traffic Commissioner and drivers would require specific licences. Sadly this is not an option for them on a short term service”.

“I would hope that Aberdeen City Council and NHS Grampian can work more closely towards finding a solution that works for both NHS employees living in Kingswells and indeed the wider population of Kingswells”.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – C93C Borrowstone Road

Start Date and Time : 24 April 2017 05:30
End Date and Time : 28 April 2017 22:00

Location : C93C Borrowstone Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 05:30 on 24 April, 2017, until 22:00 on 28 April, 2017, is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on the C93C Borrowstone Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with the A944 Skene Road and a point 50 metres north of Westholme. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route works.
Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via the B979 Kirkton of Skene-Tyrebagger, Westhill Drive, and the A944 Skene Road.

Kingswells Buses Meeting


The public meeting to discuss bus services in Kingswells was held on 30th March and was attended by over 250 people. Clearly nobody was happy about the No. 94 bus service as it doesn’t meet anyone’s needs.

It was confirmed by Council officials that the No. 94 service has been contracted to run for AT LEAST five months. A report is to be brought to committee in June, looking at future options for Kingswells.

Residents were angry that the service on offer does not adequately cover morning and evening peak periods as well as omitting evenings and weekends. People were also concerned about how to get to and from work and medical appointments.

The Council’s Transport Spokesman repeatedly referred to a recent decision to look into the possibility of the Council running its own bus service and also of possible changes in the forthcoming Transport Bill. Neither of these initiatives could be progressed in the short term, so they were in effect offering no solution (and perhaps raising false hope) with respect to the immediate issues faced by Kingswells residents.

Steve Delaney told meeting that the service on offer sells Kingswells short and a permanent solution must not be “thrown into the long grass” while the Council prevaricates over its own bus company or waits for possible regulatory changes. He also expressed his frustration that the prospect of this situation arising had not been budgeted for and that it had taken more than two weeks to progress matters to committee in respect of decision so close to the termination of the X40 and No. 11.

Afterwards He said, “I share the annoyance felt in Kingswells that councillors failed to back the proposal I put forward to allocate funding and go to tender immediately. This was intended to minimise the use of the No. 94 and introduce a standalone service sooner than is currently possible”.

“What we now have is the hiatus brought about by the council elections, which I had tried to avoid, and a decision, if we’re lucky, in June. In the meantime, are Kingswells residents just meant to sit back and wait?”

“Please rest assured I remain furious about this and I remain committed to ensuring that this inadequate service is replaced by one which runs 7 days a week including evenings, at the earliest possible opportunity”.

Liberal Democrats Announce Strong Team Of 14 candidates To Fight City Council Election

Liberal Democrats in Aberdeen have announced that they will be fielding a team of 14 candidates to fight the Aberdeen City Council election on 4th May. Four Liberal Democrats defending their seats – Steve Delaney, Martin Greig, Jennifer, Stewart and Ian Yuill – will be joined by 10 other candidates.

The Liberal Democrats are fielding one candidate in 12 of the 13 wards in the city. The exception is Hazlehead/Queens Cross/Countesswells ward where both sitting Liberal Democrat councillors Martin Greig and Jennifer Stewart will be defending their seats.

The Liberal Democrats team of candidates includes former head of the Aberdeen schools music service Ken McLeod who is seeking to replace retiring Liberal Democrat Aileen Malone as councillor for Lower Deeside, leading North East environmental campaigner Gregor McAbery, standing in Torry/Ferryhill, and former children’s charity Chief Executive Karen Marr, who is contesting Bridge of Don. Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone is being contested by former Aberdeen councillor Dorothy Pearce and University of Aberdeen student activist John Waddell is standing in George Street/Harbour.

Liberal Democrat Leader on Aberdeen City Council Ian Yuill said: “We are delighted to have such a strong team of candidates across Aberdeen. It is already clear that many people are hugely disappointed with the performance
of the Labour, Conservative and Independent councillors who have controlled Aberdeen City Council for the last five years. People are also telling us that the SNP’s fixation on another independence referendum is not what a local council should be about.

“People want local councillors who will focus on Aberdeen and the communities and people they represent. That is what Liberal Democrats have done over the last five years – and that will continue to be our priority. The Liberal Democrats want to see greater investment in repairing the city’s crumbling roads and pavements, significant improvements to our city centre and more resources for our city’s schools.”

The full list of Liberal Democrat candidates is:

Ward 1. Dyce/Bucksburn/Danestone : Dorothy Pearce
Ward 2. Bridge of Don : Karen Farquhar
Ward 3. Kingswells/Sheddocksley/Summerhill : Steve Delaney
Ward 4. Northfield/Mastrick North : Sam Forman
Ward 5. Hilton/Woodside/Stockethill : Sam Petchey
Ward 6. Tillydrone/Seaton/Old Aberdeen : Jenny Wilson
Ward 7. Midstocket/Rosemount : William Sell
Ward 8. George St/Harbour : John Waddell
Ward 9. Lower Deeside : Ken McLeod
Ward 10. Hazlehead/Queens Cross/Countesswells : Martin Greig and Jennifer Stewart
Ward 11. Airyhall/Broomhill/Garthdee : Ian Yuill
Ward 12. Torry/Ferryhill : Gregor McAbery
Ward 13. Kincorth/Nigg/Cove : Cameron Finnie

Councillors’ Wheelchair Challenge

Future Choices, a local charity which supports adults with disabilities threw down the gauntlet to councillors in Aberdeen to navigate the city centre in a wheelchair. One person was invited from each political group, with Steve Delaney representing the Liberal Democrats. The challenge took place on 23rd March and there were, thankfully, a raft of willing volunteers to assist.

Steve said, “This was a real eye openers for me. Uneven surfaces, cobbled areas and cracked pavements were challenging enough but getting across the road before the traffic lights changed was a really frightening experience. Drivers were very courteous but the short journey merely reinforced some of the real challenges faced by disabled people in Aberdeen”.

“What I had not realised was how much physical strength wheelchair users need to enable them to get about. I was absolutely exhausted and that was with a helpful volunteer to assist when I got stuck or ran out of steam. The volunteers also found it quite challenging”.

“All five of us found it was a worthwhile experience from which we learnt much about disability and the challenges people face getting around the city centre every day of the year”.

Future Choices plan to repeat the challenge at a future date. If you’d like to see how Marie Boulton, Stephen Flynn, Len Ironside, Douglas Lumsden and Steve got on, you can watch the video!

New Temporary Traffic Lights Imposed – C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road

A New Temporary Traffic Lights has been imposed with the following details :

Category :Temporary Traffic Signals
Traffic Order Number : 2017/097/TL
Emergency : No
Start Date and Time : 13 March 2017 09:30
End Date and Time : 17 March 2017 15:30

Location : C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road

Description : Temporary traffic signals for use during AWPR works at the Dykeside Roundabout. Operational 0930-1530 each day.

Kingswells Residents Sold Out By Aberdeen City Council

Today Aberdeen City Council debated a report with proposals on how to mitigate the withdrawal of bus services from Kingswells village from 1st April 2017.

The report recommended the extension of the No 94 crematorium bus to Kingswells. The service would act as a shuttle bus ferrying residents to Kingswells Park & Ride operating on a 30 minute frequency, to link into Stagecoach’s X17 service between 06:30 – 08:33 and 16:40 – 19:03 and would provide a service between 09:00 – 16:30 from Kingswells to Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. No evening or weekend service was proposed.

Kingswells councillor Steve Delaney said, “Although I accept that the use of the service 94 is the only option open to us to bridge the gap over the next few weeks, given the tight timescales, it does not offer a usable solution beyond that of the next few weeks”.

“The outline timetable will not help people who start work early or finish late, whether they are travelling from Kingswells or indeed working in Kingswells businesses including Kingswells School, Kingsmead Nursing Home, Great Western Nursery and others. In addition, having to change buses at ARI will create timing difficulties for others en route to work”. That’s not to mention the difficulties people will experience socialising and going about their everyday lives.

“The daytime services proposed are very limited indeed, with 60-75 minutes between services, which will impact upon people’s ability to get to medical appointments and the proposed route will not service a number of local facilities within Kingswells”.

As a result of commercially sensitive content, the report was taken in private.

Steve had proposed a two stage approach where the 94 service would be used on a rolling month to month basis until such times as a full service could be tendered and put in place. He suggested that a budget be approved for this and the task be delegated to officers to minimise the time taken to introduce a new service. This would have avoided final decisions being delayed until after May’s council elections.

He said, “My proposal could have limited the use of the No 94 to just a few weeks, pending the introduction of a service which ran in the evenings and operated seven days a week straight into the city centre. This was the preferred option of the council’s Public Transport Unit, but they needed the authority and the funding to go out to tender’, something which was not forthcoming today”.

“My proposal offered a feasible way forward but instead it was opposed by Labour, Conservative and SNP councillors including the Labour and SNP members elected to serve the Kingswells area. Instead, they backed the extended 94 service, leaving many workers unable to get to or from work, putting Kingswells businesses at risk and isolating people in their own homes as a result of the absence of evening and weekend services”.

“Aberdeen City Council has failed to deliver. Kingswells deserves better than this. I’m absolutely appalled at the total disregard of the facts on the ground presented to committee by local people. The decision was to put this service in place for 12 months and with no additional finance at its back, any prospect of an improved service being brought in sooner must surely be very remote”.

“This decision is an absolute disgrace. I’m certainly not finished with this yet and I will seek to overturn this decision and deliver a usable and sustainable service for Kingswells at the very earliest opportunity”.

Council Rejects Additional Spending On Roads & Pavements

At last week’s budget meeting of Aberdeen City Council, Liberal Democrat proposals to increase spending on road and pavement resurfacing works by £3.3 million, which would have taken this year’s spend to £5.5 million, were rejected. The Lib Dem Group has consistently put forward proposals to at least double expenditure on road and pavement resurfacing over each of the past five years.

Kingswells, Sheddocksley, Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney said, “One of the most common concerns raised by constituents is the poor state of our roads and the under-investment in road and pavement resurfacing in recent years. In 2013 I was advised by council officers in that to get all our roads up to standard would take £20 million per annum over a 10 years period. In recent years the Council has been spending only £2.2 million per annum, a mere 10% of what’s required”.

“Now I fully understand we don’t have an odd £20 million sitting in a drawer, but prioritising an additional £3.3 million to road and pavement resurfacing would have resulted in 2.5 times as many crumbling roads and pavements being resurfaced. This could have made a huge difference to communities across Aberdeen”.

“Instead, Labour, Conservative and Independent councillors continue to waste resources on the likes of Marischal Square, a glossy brochure promoting their time in office and other pet projects”.

Council Inaction As Lang Stracht Heads Towards Gridlock

Kingswells, Sheddocksley, Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney proposed embarking on the first steps towards dualing the Lang Stracht at Aberdeen City Council’s budget meeting last week.

Steve has been campaigning for the road to be dualed for the past ten years, both in respect of the poor design of road and how it does not lend itself to the free flowing of traffic, but also in view of plans for significant development along this corridor.

He said, “750 homes are planned for Maidencraig and 3,000 at Countesswells. There’s also a proposed housing development of 370 homes on the former Summerhill Academy site. With current plans suggesting the main route in and out of Countesswells will also be the Lang Stracht and the other two developments already destined for the Lang Stracht, it’s pretty obvious we have a problem here”.

Steve told councillors, “In order to keep the city moving we need to take action now. We’ve delivered the Third Don Crossing, we’re progressing the Berryden Corridor and of course a new crossing over the River Dee. Lets ensure that we don’t become blinkered and consider that it’s a case of job done, because it’s certainly not”.

“Currently the Lang Stracht’s near gridlock and occasionally can gridlock in the morning peak. And it’s for that reason that I’ve been advocating the dualling of this road for the past ten years. However, with the advent of the AWPR next year, this will become an access route for many people living in my neck of the woods to access the bypass, so things can only get worse”.

The first stage towards making improvements would have been an options appraisal on the Lang Stracht. This would have identified the extent of that problem and offered up some evidence based solutions going forward.

Regrettably this proposal attracted no support from Labour, Conservative or SNP councillors

Environmental Improvements Rejected By Council

Liberal Democrat proposals at last week’s budget meeting offered some environmental improvements in an otherwise tight budget which would have improved the overall look of our neighbourhoods across Aberdeen.

Kingswell, Sheddocksley, Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney said, “Some of the most common complaints I receive relate the how our area looks and how standards have slipped in recent years. Grass cutting is a prime example where, in order to save money, the Council has reduced the number of grass cuts per year”.

“This results in grass growing longer between cuts and making a mess of our pavements as soon as it does get cut. This is not only unsightly but it also presents a slip hazard, especially for elderly and disabled people”

The Liberal Democrats proposed an additional £500,000 to be spent on increasing the number of cuts per annum in order to improve the look of our open space, but also to minimise the mess which is left behind after cuts. Another issue of concern which they tried to address was tree maintenance.

“Steve said, ‘The tree squad has been reduced from 14 people to 2 in recent years. As a result, the focus has to be on attending to dead, diseased and dangerous trees due to budgetary and resourcing pressures. This is resulting in the Council having very little to spend on maintaining the trees they own across the city”.

“The Lib Dems proposed spending an additional £120,000 in order to clear the backlog of dead, diseased and dangerous tree works to free up some spend on traditional tree maintenance”.

Also in the proposals put forward by the Liberal Democrats was a one off expenditure of £200,000 on upgrading the grounds of all sheltered housing blocks across the city. It related to an idea Steve put to the the grounds maintenance team three years ago which has since been successfully trialed in at least one sheltered block since.

Steve said, “The shrubs in these areas were planted decades ago and many are not ideally suited to this type of environment. They grow far too tall and have become straggly over time, catching on people’s hands and clothes and allowing unsightly weeds to grow beneath them”.

“Were these to be replaced by low ground cover plants, the weeds would be reduced, the appearance of the areas would improve, and end of year maintenance would be less costly”.

“There was clearly scope to roll this out across all amenity areas over time, but I suggested we start with the sheltered blocks first so we can see the difference it makes to people’s enjoyment of their surroundings and then look towards identifying additional budget for other areas in future years”.

Sadly Labour, Conservative, SNP and Independent councillors were not minded to include any of these proposals within their own priorities.

Investment In Schools Blocked

Each of the past five years the Lib Dem Group on Aberdeen City Council has proposed additional funding for local schools.

This year’s additional expenditure amounted to £2.5 million across the city, amounting to £111 per pupil.

Kingswells/Sheddocksley/Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney said, “Had this proposal been accepted, it would have resulted in increased expenditure of £48,174 for Kingswells, £37,962 for Kingsford, £29,082 for Fernielea and £22,755 for Muirfield. Secondary education was not forgotten either with an additional £89,244 earmarked for Hazlehead and £71,706 for Bucksburn”.

It’s vital that our schools have sufficient funds to ensure our children get the best education possible.

Unfortunately Labour, Conservative and SNP councillors did not share this aspiration.

Council Reject Plan For Investment In Education, Roads And Environment

Commenting on Aberdeen City Council’s budget for 2017/18, Kingswells, Sheddocksley, Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney said “I am very disappointed that Aberdeen City Council did not accept the Liberal Democrat proposals to invest more in education, repairing crumbling roads and pavement and enhancing Aberdeen’s environment when its set its budget for the forthcoming year last week”.

Key points in our proposals – which was part of a carefully costed and balanced budget – were:

Creating a £2.5 million Education Fund to make a real difference for every school and ever school pupil in Aberdeen
Investing an additional £3.277 million in repairing roads and pavements across Aberdeen
Investing an extra £350,000 in improving Aberdeen’s environment
Investing an additional £500,000 in supported bus services to ensure that communities in Aberdeen are not left isolated
Carrying out a feasibility study into transferring the currently closed Hazlehead Swimming Pool to community management

The proposed Liberal Democrat budget also included:

Rejecting proposals to cut £500,000 from spending on libraries
Increasing the council’s ability to repair roads and clear snow from roads and pavements
Freezing both on and off-street parking charges
A commitment to build a new bridge over the River Dee
A study into dualing the Lang Stracht
An additional £120,000 on tree maintenance
An extra £250,000 on increasing the frequency of grass cutting
Investing £200,000 to upgrade the grounds of all sheltered housing blocks in the city

Liberal Democrat Group Leader Ian Yuill said, “Despite the savage cuts forced on the council by the SNP Scottish Government the Liberal Democrats have managed to focus resources on our priorities of education, Aberdeen’s roads and pavements, our local environment and our city centre.”

Council Considers Kingswells Buses Next Week

Following a request from Kingswells councillor Steve Delaney to the Council Leader to call an Urgent Business Committee to discuss the bus situation at Kingswells, some progress has been made.

It has been agreed that a report will go forward instead to the Finance, Policy & Resources Committee on 9th March.

Steve said, “The Council Leader contacted me today to advise of this decision, which I welcome. She agreed with me that ‘time was of the essence’ and I thanked her for moving this matter forward”.

“Hopefully the unanimity we saw in respect of my motion last October will prevail and we will see a real coming together by all councillors to ensure Kingswells residents can access public transport like everyone else in Aberdeen”.

In the meantime there has been another development following Stagecoach’s statement last week that they did not consider it commercially viable to offer a service to Kingswells village as they are now consulting on bus route changes planned for 1st May 2017. Two routes will call at the Kingswells Park & Ride as at present but with reduced frequencies.

The X17 will continue to call at Park & Ride site every day on a revised timetable. The first bus will be at 0549 Mon-Fri, 0619 Sat & 0816 Sun. Frequency will be every 15 minutes Mon-Sat and 20 minutes Sun for most of the day. The route will continue to serve Queens Road.

The X18 is being replaced by the 218 and the 220.

The 218 will call at Park & Ride site four times a day, representing a significant reduction in service over what is currently provided. The only 218 on offer during peak times is at 0732 with around 3 hours between buses. This route will continue to operate via Lang Stracht but will terminate at ARI.

With Kingswells Village Centre almost a mile from the Park & Ride and the northern edge of the village around two miles away, these services are of no use whatsoever to a large number of Kingswells residents.

The new service 220 is destined to serve Kingswells village but only operates Mon-Fri from 0908 – 1813 on a 60-90 minute frequency.

The consultations will be held at St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen from 10am – 4pm and at Westhill Academy from 7.30pm – 9pm, both tomorrow 2nd March! More details and timetables.

Steve said, “This is becoming farcical now. The number of Stagecoach buses operating from the Park & Ride has been halved during morning peak times and, though they are now offering a service to the village, there’s no morning peak service. They are clearly failing to provide services at the busiest times of day when people most need them”.

“If this is Stagecoach’s idea of making the route commercially viable, they are clearly having a laugh at the expense of Kingswells residents. To turn down business during morning peak makes no business sense at all. As well as forcing those who do drive back into their cars, not to mention the increased congestion, this is leaving non-car owners unable to get to work and children who go to school in the city centre unable to get to school”.

“Clearly a 60-90 minute service to Kingswells village with no morning peak service, no evening service and no weekend service completely fails to address the needs of local people. I have already been in touch with Stagecoach asking them to clarify their position but as of today’s date they have not responded. I therefore have no option but to call on Aberdeen City Council to provide a supported service which addresses the social and economic needs of Kingswells.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Greenfern Place Lane East, Whitemyres Avenue

Start Date and Time : 11 March 2017 08:00
End Date and Time : 29 March 2017 22:00

Location : Greenfern Place Lane East, Whitemyres Avenue.

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 08:00 on 17 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 18 March, 2017 & 08:00 on 20 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 21 March, 2017 is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on Greenfern Place Lane East, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Greenfern Road and Arnage Drive.

There will also be a prohibition of waiting on Whitemyres Avenue, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Whitemyres Place and Mastrick Drive from 08:00 on 11 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 16 March, 2017 .

There will also be a prohibition of waiting on Arnage Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive. and Greenfern Place Lane East from 08:00 on 16 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 18 March, 2017.

There will also be a prohibition of waiting on the north side of Greenfern Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Greenfern Place Lane West and New Park Place. from 08:00 on 20 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 22 March, 2017.

There will also be a prohibition of waiting on Mastrick Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with New Park Place and Derry Avenue from 08:00 on 22 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 29 March, 2017. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during duct laying works being carried out by City Fibre.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is via Greenfern Road,Mastrick Road, New Park Place and Arnage Drive .

Stagecoach says NO to Kingswells


Following First’s decision to axe all services to Kingswells from 1st April, Stagecoach have been in talks with Aberdeen City Council with a view to possibly extending one of their services into Kingswells. In fact things were looking pretty positive initially though there were a number of practical and operational issues which had to resolved. Steve Delaney, Lib Dem councillor for the Kingswells area has been in regular touch with both Stagecoach and the Council’s Public Transport Unit throughout.

Steve updated fellow councillors at this afternoon’s Budget meeting that Stagecoach’s MD has confirmed that they do not consider such a service to be commercially viable for them and they will not therefore be putting forward proposals to serve Kingswells village. The Lib Dem Group proposed increasing the supported bus services budget to £500,000 at that meeting. Neither the SNP nor Administration budgets allocated any increase for supported bus services, having known for five months that the Kingswells service is under threat.

He said, “First have got greedy and they are starting to pick off their less profitable routes in order to maximise what they can squeeze out of Aberdeen. Personally I think it’s an absolute disgrace that this FTSE rated company which was born in Aberdeen lacks a moral compass and has no sense of social responsibility”.

Steve has already written to the Council Leader asking her to call an Urgent Business Committee to consider a proposal from officers on the best way forward and rhe eminded councillors of their previous unanimous support to ensure that Kingswells residents are not left without a service. He also spoke of withdrawal of this route as the thin edge of the wedge and called on councillors to raise concerns with their MSPs regarding the need for better regulation of bus services.

Steve said, “This is a devastating blow for Kingswells residents. A number of residents, some of whom are elderly or disabled, don’t drive and they need the bus to get to work, to school and to medical appointments. There are also a number of businesses in Kingswells which rely on staff from outwith Kingswells and many of them use public transport. Clearly staff working at Kingsmead Nursing Home, Great Western Nursery and After School Club, Kingswells School and other local business are likely to be affected”.

Steve said, “I would urge all councillors to get behind the people of Kingswells and ensure a replacement service is put in place as quickly as possible. My fear it that the tight timescale could result in people being left without a service for a period of time and that’s simply unacceptable. We need to move fast on this to ensure a Council sign off for a replacement service is put in place as soon as possible”.

The onus now falls to Aberdeen City Council to consider providing a supported bus service. Whether or not that happens and if it does, the level of service provided, is currently unclear.

Further updates will be issued as more information becomes available.

Temporary Traffic Order C93C Borrowstone Road

Start Date and Time : 20 March 2017 05:30
End Date and Time : 24 March 2017 22:00
Location : C98C Borrowstone Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 05:30 on 20 March, 2017, until 22:00 on 24 March, 2017, is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on the C93C Borrowstone Road, Aberdeen, between Longcairn farmhouse and Springdale Lodge cottages. The measure is necessary to protect public safety during carriageway resurfacing works.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via the B979 Kirkton of Skene-Tyrebagger Road, Westhill Drive, Westhill Road, and Brodiach Road.

SNP Scottish Government Cuts £13 Million From Aberdeen City Council’s Budget

The SNP Scottish Government, with the support of Green MSPs, has imposed a huge cut of £13 million from Aberdeen City Council’s budget.

This massive cut will place tremendous pressure on Aberdeen City Council – already the worst-funded council in Scotland.

This SNP funding cut will mean a massive real terms reduction in the money available for vital local services in our city. Liberal Democrat MSPs voted against this damaging budget in the Scottish Parliament.

With so much pressure on local schools, with many of our roads and pavements broken and crumbling and with funding for social care services simply not good enough, the SNP Scottish Government chose to make an enormous cut to the funding of Aberdeen’s local services knowing that this would make things even worse.

Steve Delaney said, “As your local councillor I will always stand up for local people, always put our area and our city first and continue to fight for a fair deal for Aberdeen from the SNP Scottish Government”.

Kingswells Buses Axed By First

kingswells-last-with-background-smallFirst Aberdeen has now submitted notice to withdraw all services from Kingswells with their last day of operation being 1st April 2017. Following their shock announcement last September, the confirmation has now been received by Aberdeeen City Council. This follows on from two public drop in sessions and numerous meetings between the council and First over the past few months.

Kingswells councillor Steve Delaney has been working with all interested parties throughout. He said, “This has hardly come as a surprise, but it takes nothing away from the anger surrounding their decision. My view remains that First will always put profit before people and they have absolutely no regard for the social or economic impact of their decisions”.

“From the outset I made it clear that my aim was to ensure we retain bus services to the village, so we must now look towards securing the best possible outcome for Kingswells”.

Steve had a very positive meeting with Stagecoach’s management recently. He said, “Stagecoach has shown an interest in operating a service in Kingswells and are currently looking at how best they may be able to serve the area. This is not cut and dried, but they are interested and I remain hopeful of a positive outcome”.

Aberdeen City Council intends holding a public meeting in Kingswells next month, by which time the final outcome should have become clearer. It is vital that as many people as possible attend this meeting.

Steve said, “We’re not out of the woods yet as some challenges remain, but there is some light at the end of the tunnel. I will of course keep everyone up to date as more details emerge and I am currently preparing a Focus newsletter for distribution as soon as I have more information”.

Fairley Road Bus Diversions

PARK_AND_RIDE_010Some confusion arose this week when buses did not follow the previously advertised diversion route during roadworks on Fairley Road.

The route had been changed but the diversion had not been updated on First’s website. The correct details are as follows:-

Service 11 evenings and all day Sundays in both directions

Fairley Road will be closed to service 11

• Normal service to last stop on Kingswood Drive
• Continue straight on towards P&R site traffic lights
• Left into Newhills Road
• Continue down to Roundabout then normal service

Service x40 in both directions

• Normal service to last stop on Kingswood Drive
• Continue straight on to P&R site
• When leaving P&R turn Right into Newhills Road
• Continue down to Roundabout
• Left into Westhills Road
• Left into Old Lang Stracht
• Continue on normal service

Traffic Order Imposed – Eday Road

diggingStart Date and Time : 30 January 2017 08:00
End Date and Time : 12 February 2017 22:00

Location : Eday Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Eday Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Fernilea Road and Stronsay Drive, from 08:00 on 30 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 3 February, 2017, and also on Stronsay Place, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Stronsay Drive and Summerhill Drive, from 09:00 on 3 February, 2017, until 22:00 on 12 February, 2017, and also on Summerhill Terrace, Aberdeen, between its junction with Summerhill Drive and the boundary between numbers 21 and 23 Summerhill Terrace, from 09:00 on 3 February, 2017, until 22:00 on 12 February, 2017 .

The no-waiting restrictions will not be implemented on any two streets at the same time, and will be demarcated by the use of no-waiting cones as and when required. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during duct laying works being carried out by City Fibre.

Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Skene Road

diggingStart Date and Time : 30 January 2017 05:00
End Date and Time : 31 March 2017 22:00

Location : Skene Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 05:00 on 30 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 31 March, 2017, is to impose a temporary prohibition of right turn manoeuvres from, and also on to, the A944 Skene Road, Aberdeen, from a point 125m west of its junction with Kingswells Causeway to a point 125m east of its junction with the B9119 3. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route works.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via Westhill Drive Roundabout and the A944 Skene Road, or via Kingswells Roundabout and the A944 Skene Road.

Bus Diversions During Fairley Road Works

40 Bus_sThere will be diversions on the No 11 and X40 routes during roadworks in Fairley Road. The first phase on the southern leg is ongoing and programmed to conclude by 14th January.

The second phase relates to the northern half of Fairley Road. This will not commence until the first phase has been completed and it is expected to be in operation until 5th February. These diversion affect people living in Fairley Road, Edmond Gardens, Whiterashes and Old Skene Road. Full details can be found here.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Mastrick Drive

diggingCategory :Start Date and Time : 30 January 2017 08:00
End Date and Time : 03 February 2017 18:00

Location : Mastrick Drive

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 08:00 on 30 January, 2017, until 18:00 on 3 February, 2017, is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with New Park Road and Croft Road. Access to properties will be maintained, but no through traffic will be possible. There will also be a prohibition of waiting on either side of Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, from the boundary between numbers 112 and 114 Mastrick Drive to the boundary between numbers 116 and 118 Mastrick Drive. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during water connection works for a new development.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via New Park Road and Arnage Drive.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Various locations in Mastrick and Sheddocksley

digging

Start Date and Time : 11 January 2017 08:00
End Date and Time : 29 January 2017 22:00

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on New Park Place, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Arnage Drive and Mastrick Road, from 08:00 on 11 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 14 January, 2017.

There will also be a prohibition of driving on Kingsford Road, Aberdeen, on the inset road between its northern junction with Springhill Road and the footpath north of Regensburg Court, from 08:00 until 22:00 on 21 and 29 January, 2017. The existing one-way system on Kingsford Road, Aberdeen, on the inset road between its junctions with Regensburg Court and Kingsford Road, shall be suspended to allow access to properties.

Also Brodinch Road, Aberdeen, will be one-way westbound between its junctions with Springhill Road and Brodinch Place, from 08:00 until 22:00 on 21 and 29 January, 2017.

There will be a prohibition of waiting on the following roads; Arnage Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive and New Park Place, from 08:00 on 9 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 13 January, 2017, and New Park Place, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Arnage Drive and Mastrick Road, from 08:00 on 11 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 14 January, 2017, and Mastrick Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with New Park Place and Greenfern Road, from 08:00 on 12 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 16 January, 2017, and Greenfern Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Road and Springhill Road, from 08:00 on 14 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 29 January, 2017. The no-waiting restrictions shall only be implemented as and when required, and will be demarcated by the use of no-waiting cones.

The measures are necessary to protect public safety during duct laying works being carried out by City Fibre.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – FAIRLEY ROAD

diggingStart Date and Time : 10 January 2017 05:30
End Date and Time : 05 February 2017 22:00

Location : FAIRLEY ROAD.

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984.

The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on Fairley Road, Aberdeen, between its Junction with Lang Stracht and its southern junction with Edmond Gardens from 05:30 on 10 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 14 January, 2017. There will also be a prohibition of waiting on the same stretch of road.

Also, there will be a temporary prohibition of driving on Fairley Road, Aberdeen, between its Junctions with Lang Stracht and Kingswood Drive from 05:30 on 13 January, 2017, until 22:00 on 5 February, 2017. There will also be a prohibition of waiting on the same stretch of road.

The no-waiting restrictions will not be implemented on the whole section of road at any one time, and will be demarcated by the use of no-waiting cones as and when required. The second closure will not be implemented until the first closure has been removed. Access to properties will be maintained, but no through traffic will be possible. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during gas main installation works for the Countesswells development.

Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via Kingswood Drive, the C89C Chapel of Stoneywood-Fairley Road, and Fairley Road link road.

Santa Claus To Open C128C!

StevesantaThought that headline might get your intention. In reality he’s had to politely decline as he’s far too busy. At least we can rest assured the reindeer won’t incur a fixed penalty notice when delivering in the area on Sunday!

Seriously though, it has been confirmed that the long awaited re-opening of the Kingswells to Cults road will take place on 23rd December 2016. The road is due to re-open by 6pm, but the exact time may vary.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “After 20 weeks of closure this can’t come soon enough. The additional congestion on other routes as well as increased journey times has been an absolute nightmare for local residents”.

“Please note that there have been some changes to the road layout, so I would advise everyone to take extra care until you get used to the new layout. In addition there will still be some ongoing works on the roadway, footpaths and verges, so caution is advised.”

Thankfully there are no plans for any further closures of this road. However, there will be a section of Countesswells Road closed from 16th January 2017 for about eight weeks to complete the task of getting gas, electric, water and telephone connectivity into the Countesswells development site. Appropriate diversion will be put in place.

Update On Kingswells Buses Expected In January

busFollowing on from the public consultations, options are being considered and there is ongoing dialogue between FirstAberdeen and Aberdeen City Council. There will be a further meeting in January and FirstAberdeen has agreed not to make any changes to Kingswells services prior to that meeting. Aberdeen City Council has reconfirmed its commitment to hold a public meeting in Kingswells once matters become clearer.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “I can fully understand the concerns within Kingswells and the time this is taking does not help to allay those fears. However this does mean that the services cannot now be withdrawn until some time in March, if indeed this is the outcome. It’s still too early to say if any replacement service might be taken up by Stagecoach or if it will fall to the council”.

“My position has always been to ensure that residents must not be left without a bus service. Whether that’s provided by FirstAberdeen, Stagecoach or another company is secondary to the argument. People need to be able to get to work, school, medical appointments and to socialise. I will continue to work with all relevant organisations to ensure this is delivered”.

“Please rest assured there will be a further update as soon as I have some useful information to share with you”.

Hogmanay Road Closures

diggingAberdeen City Council has made the above-named orders to provide for a wide range of traffic management arrangements, under powers conferred upon it by Section 62(1) of the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984, and Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984, in connection with the Aberdeen City Council Hogmanay Fireworks event 2016. The temporary traffic management arrangements are shown in the schedule below, and will apply at the times indicated therein.

From 14:00 on 31 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 • Schoolhill, Aberdeen, between its junction with Blackfriars Street and Back Wynd.
• Gaelic Lane, Aberdeen, (whole length) • Little Belmont Street, Aberdeen, (whole length)

From 20:00 on 31 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 • Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen. • Blackfriars Street, Aberdeen, (whole length) • St Andrew Street, Aberdeen between its junctions with Blackfriars Street and Charlotte Street.

From 22:00 on 31 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 • Harriet Street, Aberdeen, (whole length) • Crooked Lane, Aberdeen, (whole length) • Schoolhill, Aberdeen, between its junction with Back Wynd and Upperkirkgate, Aberdeen • Upperkirkgate, Aberdeen, between its junction with Schoolhill and Flourmill Lane, Aberdeen. • Skene Street, Aberdeen, from its junction with Woolmanhill Roundabout to its junction with Rosemount Viaduct • Spa Street, Aberdeen, from the access into Denburn car park to its junction with Skene Street.

From 22:00 on 31 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 • Back Wynd, Aberdeen, between Schoolhill and Union Street • The whole of Bridge Place, Aberdeen, • The whole of Bath Street, Aberdeen. • The whole of Windmill Brae, Aberdeen, • The whole of Windmill Lane, Aberdeen

From 23:50 on 31 December 2016 to 00:30 on 1 January 2017 • Denburn Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Woolmanhill Roundabout and Wapping Street.

From 23:30 on 31 December 2016 to 00:45 on 1 January 2017 • Union Street, Aberdeen, from its junction with Crown Street to its junction with Market Street Temporary one way system

From 14:00 until 20:00 on 31 December 2016 • Rosemount Viaduct, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Skene Street and Blackfriars Street, permitted direction of travel is eastbound. • Blackfriars Street, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Rosemount Viaduct, and St. Andrew Street, permitted direction of travel is northbound. • St. Andrew Street, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Blackfriars Street and Charlotte Street, permitted direction of travel is eastbound.

From 23:30 on 31 December 2016 to 00:45 on 1 January 2017 • Bridge Street, Aberdeen, from its junctions with Wapping Street and Union Street, with the exception of buses, travelling northbound. • Union Street, Aberdeen, from its junctions with Bridge Street and Crown Street, with the exception of buses, travelling westbound. Temporary suspensions of turning bans

From 23:00 on 31 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 Skene Street, Aberdeen, into Rosemount Viaduct (right turn) Union Street, Aberdeen, into Crown Street (right turn) Parking Restrictions

From 08:00 on 31 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 • Diamond Street, Aberdeen, on either side, between Union Street and Ruby Lane, except for Emergency vehicles. • Rosemount Place, Aberdeen, on the South side, between Hill Street and South Mount Street • Wellington Place, Aberdeen, on the north side, between Crown Street and South College Street.

Parking Restrictions From 18:00 on 30 December 2016 to 06:00 on 1 January 2017 • Schoolhill, Aberdeen, outside RGC (Pocket Park)

Alternative routes shall be available during the closures.

Serious Safety Concerns in Fairley Road

1
As part of ongoing works to take utilities across to the Countesswells development it has been necessary to carry out some roadworks on Fairley Road, but what happened next presented a real danger to both pedestrians and motorists.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “I visited the area last Friday and was horrified to see that there was no safe pedestrian access route. In addition, with four way traffic signals nobody knew which way to go or indeed when it was safe to do so”.

“I have had council officials visit the site on several occasions to inspect the traffic management arrangements and ensure that the developer make adaptations to ensure public safety remains their top priority and that cordoned off areas comply with what has been agreed with the council. Unfortunately the situation remains ongoing and I have raised further concerns about the latest arrangements again this afternoon”.

“Disruption in this area was always going to be significant, but there’s ways of managing a job and I’m just thankful nobody has been injured or worse as a result of the lack of basic safety awareness by this developer”.

Works are scheduled to be completed over the weekend. I know this can’t come fast enough for local residents.

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – Croft Road, Mastrick Drive

digging
This traffic order has been extended

Start Date and Time : 17 October 2016 08:00
End Date and Time : 23 December 2016 18:00

Location : Croft Road, Mastrick Drive

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Croft Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive and Croft Place, from 08:00 on 17 October, 2016, until 18:00 on 23 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the same stretch of road. There will be a prohibition of waiting on Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Croft Road and New Park Road, from 08:00 on 14 November, 2016, until 18:00 on 23 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the south footway of the same stretch of road. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during works to form a new entrance and bus stop.
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New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Croft Road

diggingThis temporary traffic order has been extended as detailed below.

Start Date and Time : 07 December 2016 18:00
End Date and Time : 23 December 2016 18:00

Location : Croft Road

Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Croft Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive and Croft Place, from 18:00 on 7 December, 2016, until 18:00 on 23 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the same stretch of road. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during works to form a new entrance and bus stop.

Temporary Traffic Orders in Mastrick

diggingNew Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Mastrick Drive

Start Date and Time : 12 December 2016 08:00
End Date and Time : 16 December 2016 17:00
Location : Mastrick Drive
Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from between 08:00 and 17:00 daily from 12 December, 2016, until 16 December, 2016, is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Lang Stracht and Whitemyres Avenue. The measure is necessary to protect public safety during footway resurfacing works.

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – Croft Road, Mastrick Drive

Start Date and Time : 17 October 2016 08:00
End Date and Time : 07 December 2016 18:00
Location : Croft Road, Mastrick Drive
Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Croft Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive and Croft Place, from 08:00 on 17 October, 2016, until 18:00 on 2 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the same stretch of road. There will be a prohibition of waiting on Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Croft Road and New Park Road, from 08:00 on 14 November, 2016, until 18:00 on 2 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the south footway of the same stretch of road. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during works to form a new entrance and bus stop.

Kingswells Temporary Traffic Orders

diggingNew Temporary Traffic Lights Imposed – C93CStart Date and Time : 05 December 2016 19:00

Start Date and Time : 05 December 2016 19:00
End Date and Time : 06 December 2016 05:00
Location : C93C
Description : Temporary traffic signals for use during AWPR works to the north of the A944 Skene Road. Operational 1900-0500.

New Temporary Traffic Lights Imposed – C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road

Start Date and Time : 30 November 2016 09:30
End Date and Time : 03 December 2016 15:30
Location : C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road
Description : Temporary traffic lights in use for AWPR works – at Dykeside Roundabout. Working 09.30 to 15.30 each day.

Kingswells’ Community Stars

PARK_AND_RIDE_010Sunday 27th November 2016 saw individuals across Aberdeen recognised for their hard work in communities across the city. This year Eric Clark,  Jim Henderson, Pam Hudson, Aleen Shinnie and Jeanette Taylor were all recognised as “Community Stars” at a civic reception in the Town House to celebrate those who have contributed towards making local communities better places for all of us. 

These five Kingswells residents were responsible for organising the petitions opposing First’s intended withdrawal of bus services from Kingswells and collecting over 2,000 signatures. They all helped gather feedback at the drop in sessions in order to help the council understand the full impact of the proposed withdrawal and help them to plan for the future.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “This annual event was introduced a few years ago to offer a thank you from the council to those who make a real difference in their local communities. Sometimes nominees have contributed over many years, in other cases they may have made a huge impact over a shorter period of time. Either way, those who are recognised have made a real difference”.

“My warmest congratulations go to Kingswells’ winners for 2016. You really deserve the recognition for all your hard work”.

Recognition For A Lovely Lady

pearlAberdeen’s favourite lollipop lady has been presented with her British Empire Medal by Lord Lieutenant George Adam on behalf of HM the Queen at a special reception in the Town House.

Pearl Rendall’s award was originally announced in the Queen’s 90th Birthday honours list in June for services to education. She has been crossing kids at Lewis Road on their way to Kingsford School for over 36 years.

Pearl knows all the kids by name and teaches them how to cross safely from and early age. The kids all love Pearl as she does them, but she stands no nonsense either and they soon realise the importance of staying safe.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “I’ve known Pearl for a number of years. For Pearl it’s not just a job, she puts her heart and soul into it. As well as cheering up the parents with her warm words and cheery smile, she also looks out for the older folk in our community too”.

“This is what the honours system should be about, recognising the contribution of ordinary folk to their local communities. Well done Pearl, nobody deserves this more than you”.

Kingswells Roadworks Update

A944_2_sOngoing roadworks have been causing untold disruption around Kingswells and regrettably there’s more to come.

Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney met last week with road officers to discuss what’s in the pipeline over the coming weeks and months.

The good news is that the C128C Kingswells to Cults road is set to re-open on 23rd December and there are currently no further planned lane closures on the A944 between the Sheddocksley and Kingswells roundabouts.

However, there will be works required in connection with the AWPR. It will be necessary to remove the temporary bridge where the AWPR crosses the A944 and this will result in lane closures and contra flow traffic over one or two weekends in December. Further works will then be needed to tie in the new roundabout to the A944 next Spring. It will also be necessary to close off part of the C89C beside the Craibstone Golf Course.

Steve said, ‘These are all necessary works needed for the safe and timely delivery of the AWPR. I highlighted to officials the difficulties being faced by Kingswells residents who several closures and diversion fall at the same time and the need to avoid such clashes moving forward”.

“I asked for the closure of the section of the C89C can be held back until after the New Year in order to minimise disruption in the run up to Christmas and to avoid clashing with other ongoing works. It is hoped this will be possible”.

“Needless to say, details of all new and ongoing roadworks will continue to be published on this website as details emerge”.

Maidencraig Bridge

img_3361The dangerous bridge near the Maidencraig Nature Reserve between Summerhill and Hazlehead has been demolished.

A new temporary bridge has been put in place until a permanent replacement is built. There will be a flood prevention scheme going into this area in conjunction with the new Maidencraig development. A new bridge will be included as part of that design. There is currently no timescale for these works.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “I’m pleased the old bridge has been replaced as it was beginning to look decidedly unsafe. This is a walkway used by school children, dog walkers and others, so I’m delighted to see these concerns have been addressed”.

No 13 Reliability Issues

first_platinum13_024Following complaints from residents, Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney has raised the issue of poor timekeeping on the No 13 bus route with FirstAberdeen.

FirstAberdeen have advised that they are aware of this and are looking to make some adjustments to certain journeys in order to improve timekeeping. Unfortunately, the hoped for increase in frequency following the introduction of the Platinum service last year is not planned in their short term plans.

Steve said, “I’m disappointed that this well used service remains on a 20 minute frequency and have asked FirstAberdeen to give this matter further consideration once the city centre disruption of the next few months has passed. Clearly the top priority is to address the reliability of the service and I welcome their commitment to address this”

Tipsy Teapot Shopping Night!

spot-red-teapot-graphic-art-cartoonA fun evening is being held at Sheddocksley Community Centre on 24th November from 7pm – 9pm. It has been organised by local mums for Olivia Wood, who is very bravely battling leukaemia.

There’s going to bea great selection of stalls run by local businesses from our area. All stall holders have donated prizes to the raffle and there’s a number of donations from other businesses too.

Why not come along to support a good cause and enjoy some great company?

8de6a3af-567c-421f-ba30-c80384a4b09c

Announcement Expected On Bus Services

busAs of today’s date FirstAberdeen has made no announcement of their intentions with respect to the X40/11 services to Kingswells. Clearly their intention to withdraw services from the end of the year has now passed as they are required to give ten weeks’ notice prior to terminating a service.

Having said that, I am expecting an announcement from them soon, possibly within a matter of days. Whether that’s a withdrawal of service around the end of January, a continuation until July 2017 to assist hospital workers during the ARI car park closure or another, as yet unknown alternative, is anyone’s guess.

I have recently received a response to my submission to the Public Transport Unit on behalf of Kingswells residents. Their response contained some information which was of a confidential nature and had to be redacted prior to it being made public. I thank them for their assistance in this as I was keen to ensure that everything which could be made public was made public.

There will of course be further updates are the picture becomes clearer.

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – Borrowstone Road

diggingStart Date and Time : 14 November 2016 05:30
End Date and Time : 18 November 2016 22:00
Location : Borrowstone Road
Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 05:30 on 14 November, 2016, until 22:00 on 18 November, 2016, is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on the C93C Borrowstone Road, Aberdeen, between Borrowstone Farm and Rivehill Farm. Access to properties will be maintained, but no through traffic will be possible. The measure is necessary to protect public safety during carriageway resurfacing works.
Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via the A944 Skene Road, the C89C Chapel of Stoneywood-Fairley Road, and the U90C Tulloch Road.

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – Croft Road, Mastrick Drive

diggingStart Date and Time : 17 October 2016 08:00
End Date and Time : 02 December 2016 18:00
Location : Croft Road, Mastrick Drive
Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Croft Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive and Croft Place, from 08:00 on 17 October, 2016, until 18:00 on 2 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the same stretch of road. There will be a prohibition of waiting on Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Croft Road and New Park Road, from 08:00 on 14 November, 2016, until 18:00 on 2 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the south footway of the same stretch of road. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during works to form a new entrance and bus stop.

Autumn Leaves Clearing

IMG_0168.JPGAs is usual for this time of year, everywhere is covered in autumn leaves and these can present difficulties for people who are less steady on their feet. Unfortunately the clear up tends to take longer than we would all like, due to the number of leaves and the huge area to be covered.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “I have received assurances from the council that leaf clearing will be their priority between now and the end of the year. They have hired additional sweepers to speed up this work and they are confident they will have all the leaves cleared up before Christmas”.

A944 Lane Closures This Weekend

CountesswellsResidents will have noticed signage regarding roadworks planned for the A944 over the next two weeks.These relate to taking service ducts across from Kingswells to the new Countesswells development. Gas connections are to be taken across the A944 on the weekend of 5th and 6th November with further works planned.

Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney said, “I was very concerned to see these notices appear without any warning. This merely adds to the existing misery resulting from the closure of the Cults road and the subsequent increase in traffic on the A944”.

“I have received assurances from Aberdeen City Council that these works will be carried out off-peak and will not result in the road being closed at any point, which would have been unthinkable, though there will be lane closures”.

Eday Crescent Play Area Upgrade

eday_crescentThe play area in Eday Crescent is to be upgraded before the end of the year. Unfortunately this means that all the old equipment is to be removed very soon.

As part of the upgrade some tarred areas around the edges are to be replaced with grass and a new rubberised surface is to be laid over the remaining tarred area. As you would expect there will be a fair amount of disruption but it willl be well worth it.

Summerhill councillor Steve Delaney said, “I’m delighted to see yet another play park being upgraded in our area. From the artist’s impression, it’s clear this will offer much improved facilities for families in the Summerhill area.

Taxi Fare Review

drop-offAberdeen City Council’s Licensing Committee met on 25th October 2016 to consider a review of taxi fares in Aberdeen. It was agreed there would be no change to the existing tariff structure, which is to be reviewed and reported back to committee. Any proposed changes are likely to be introduced at the next usual review of fares around April 2018.

However, the request to increase the airport drop off charge from £1 to £2 to recompense drivers for the increase brought in by Aberdeen Airport was approved.

Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney, who spoke at the meeting asked the committee to write in the strongest terms to Aberdeen Airport requesting they drop the drop off charge. He also asked, and received assurances from the taxi trade, that passengers be advised they can request to be dropped off at the long stay car park to avoid paying the charge.

Steve said, “This charge is unjust. It’s not a parking charge, it’s a drop off charge with vehicles moving on as soon as they drop off their passengers. It’s no more than a cash cow for Aberdeen Airport and damages the reputation of the airport and the city. They should listen to their customers and scrap it now”.

This Week’s Kingswells Buses Update

PARK_AND_RIDE_010The feedback from the consultation events on 12th and 15th October is being analysed by the Public Transport Unit. FirstAberdeen has not yet commenced the de-registration process.

Kingswells councillor Steve Delaney said, “As a result of the 10 week notice period not yet being invoked, the service cannot now be terminated before January. This gives us some comfort that we’ll see the festive season out before we face further challenges, but the threat remains real. I expect an announcement from FirstAberdeen in the next week or two and will update on next steps at that point”

Communities, Housing & Infrastructure Meeting 1st November 2016

Town HouseThis committee has overall responsibility for Trading Standards, Bon Accord Care, Aberdeen Crematorium, Aberdeen Heat & Power, council housing, community centres, waste collections, environmental services, roads, pavements, street lighting and a whole lot more.

They also receive reports from the Scottish Fire & Rescue Service and Police Scotland and question senior officers. Their next meeting takes place on Tuesday 1st November at 14.00 at the Town House and is open to the public.

Notable items for discussion are a request for taxis to be permitted to use bus gates, a Police Scotland report on serious and organised crime, proposed changes to housing allocation policy, various road traffic orders (new and in progress), AWPR side road speed limits and this year’s winter maintenance programme.

This meeting is open to the public and the full agenda can be found here.

ARI Car Park Latest

_90484108_aricarparkIt has been confirmed that the long awaited construction works to build a multi-storey car park on the ARI site will commence on 24th October 2016. During this time there will be no visitor parking on site and very little staff parking. The construction works are expected to last until next summer. Although this will create difficulties for visitors getting to ARI, the underlying challenge is for NHS staff to get to and from work, especially those living at Kingswells and further afield.

NHS Grampian staff parking permit holders can show their permits to the bus driver allow them to travel free of charge on the X40 service during these works. However, this has been undermined by FirstAberdeen’s intention to withdraw the service from the end of this year. Local councillor Steve Delaney discussed matters with NHS Grampian earlier this week.

He said, “I was assured that NHS Grampian and FirstAberdeen are working together on this. They to meet on a weekly basis to review passenger numbers but First’s bottom line is that passenger numbers need to grow significantly. The position will be further reviewed in December as was previously advised to me by First’s Operations Manager. Needless to say, I will maintain regular contact with NHS Grampian as matters progress”.

“There is clearly a challenge for NHS Grampian to demonstrate an increase in passenger numbers, given the very tight timeline. We can all do our bit by using the bus more often and help boost the passenger numbers. Even if this only offers a reprieve until next summer, it would buy time to find a longer term solution for Kingswells. However, if increased passenger numbers were sustained, the threat may be lifted”.

“Personally I do not expect NHS staff on their own to be sufficient to give FirstAberdeen the passenger numbers they seek and I remain convinced of their determination to axe services to Kingswells. However, I would urge those of you who could use the X40 but don’t, to give it a try and help extend a lifeline to those in our community who would be hardest hit if it were withdrawn”.

Discussion with Transport Minister

IMG_0168.JPGKingswells councillor Steve Delaney was invited to join a teleconference on 17th October with Transport Minister Humza Yousaf and officials from Transport Scotland. The invitation came about as a result of the proposed withdrawal of bus services from Kingswells and Steve’s recent notice of motion to Aberdeen City Council.

Steve said, “This was a helpful conversation in which it soon became clear the Minister understood the social and economic need for a bus route serving Kingswells. We also spoke of the wider implications within Aberdeen as a result of other recent route withdrawals by First, something he has already come across elsewhere in Scotland”.

“Mr Yousaf also discussed the forthcoming Transport bill which will look at bus regulation as well other aspects of public transport in Scotland. No firm date has been set for its publication, but here will be an opportunity for the public to feed into the consultation process and I would strongly encourage this”.

“I appreciate the Minister giving up his time to discuss Kingswells and the wider public transport situation and I will continue to keep his office appraised of the Kingswells situation.”

Kingswells Bus Drop In Sessions

drop-in-sessionsTwo drop in sessions were held at Kingswells Community Centre on 12th and 15th October. Attendance was over 220 for the two days and would have probably been higher had it not been for the timing (school holidays) and the torrential rain. Nonetheless, this was a good turnout for events of this type. Both sessions had representatives from First and Aberdeen City Council listening to people’s concerns and advising on what comes next.

A number of the petition organisers were also on hand to offer their support and to invite attendees to leave comments with them. This was appreciated by those attending. These feedback forms will be passed to the council to assist them with their evidence gathering.

Kingswells councillor Steve Delaney, who attended both events said, “I was delighted to see so many people take the time to come along and make their views known. Everyone I spoke to was of the opinion that First have made up their minds and won’t be swayed, but all commented on the helpfulness of the council officials who attended”.

“Regardless of what comes next, all the feedback will help to inform the process going forward. I met lots of old friends and was able to put a lot of faces to names in respect of people I’ve previously had contact with but never met. I would like to thank everyone who took the trouble to discuss their concerns with me. It was good to see the community coming together to support each other at this worrying time”.

Bridge of Dee To Close Overnight For Up To Three Weeks

bridge-of-deeThe Bridge of Dee is due to close overnight for up the three weeks, beginning on 24th October.

The bridge will be closed in both directions each night between 7.30pm and 6am to allow Bear Scotland to carry our repairs. Traffic will be diverted along Riverside Drive and Great Southern Road.

The Bridge of Dee is part of the A90 trunk road and is managed by Transport Scotland and not by Aberdeen City Council.

You can find out more here.

Confusion Over First’s Intentions

PARK_AND_RIDE_010Following on from my earlier announcement, First now appear to be in some confusion over their intentions regarding Kingswells bus services. Their latest statement insists that there has been no change in their position with regard to withdrawing services from Kingswells”.

I refer to the letter from the Traffic Commissioner which is pretty unequivocal in saying that “there will not be an application to withdraw this service meantime”.

Commenting on reports that FirstAberdeen are trying to back pedal on what First UK’s MD said to the Traffic Commissioner, Kingswells councillor Steve Delaney said, “The Traffic Commissioner for Scotland is an independent civil servant who has no axe to grind in this matter. I trust her honesty and her integrity”.

“On the basis that the change of heart came from the MD of First UK it’s beginning to look like the right hand doesn’t know what the left’s doing as far as First Group are concerned. Surely, when the UK MD makes such a commitment, it over-rules local decision making”.

“All this confusion causes is more uncertainty and more upset for the residents of Kingswells. First have behaved disgracefully towards the people of Kingswells”.

First Withdraws Threat To Kingswells Buses

busFollowing a strong community campaign, local councillor Steve Delaney can confirm that FirstAberdeen have decided NOT to withdraw bus services from Kingswells.

The news came in a letter from Joan Aitken, Traffic Commissioner for Scotland, following a meeting with First. In her letter Miss Aitken said, “there will not be an application to withdraw this service meantime”. First have indicated a willingness to consult on the future of this the service along with other wider issues. However, the Traffic Commissioner did say that passenger numbers will remain an issue for First in the consultations which will follow.

Steve said, “Clearly people power has won and I remain impressed with the grassroots movement which has arisen in Kingswells. However, we’ve won the battle, but not the war. The Traffic Commissioner was clear that the principle of use it or lose it remains”.

“I would like to thank the Traffic Commissioner for her assistance in this matter, but I must stress it’s only a reprieve. It’s up to local people to make more use of the bus service, but equally for FirstAberdeen to provide a quality service in order to maintain and grow passenger numbers”.

“Consultations are ongoing this week and it remains vital that people come along and have their say. The consultations will focus on what residents want from their bus service and how First can increase passenger numbers to ensure the longer term viability of the service”.

Aberdeen Consistently Short-Changed

RumblesNorth East MSP Mike Rumbles has uncovered figures that show Aberdeen City Council has lost out on over £100million of ‘block grant’ funding since 2011.

The records, produced by the Scottish Parliament Library (SPICe), show that Aberdeen has been the worst funded council in Scotland for at least six years running – closely followed by Aberdeenshire Council. City funding has consistently dropped below the Scottish Government’s own funding ‘floor’ of 85% of the Scottish average for Total Revenue Support (TRS).

Calculations also show that Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire together have received £711million less than the Scottish average, over the same period.

Mr Rumbles said: “These figures are frankly disgraceful. The Scottish Government have been using the North East as a cash cow, and that has meant less money for our schools, less for our roads, and less for our local services.

“It’s no wonder people feel let-down by this Government, they have had over six years to meet their own funding targets and have resolutely failed every time.

“This is a vulnerable time for the North East, but instead of supporting and investing in our area, Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are now two of the worst funded local authorities areas in Scotland.”

Liberal Democrat city council leader Ian Yuill added: “People across Aberdeen know that our city has been short-changed by the SNP for years.

“This is nothing less than a SNP raid on the cash that could provide vital services for families in Aberdeen.

“If something doesn’t change, Aberdeen faces even more SNP underfunding next year. It’s time the Scottish Government held up their hands and gave Aberdeen a fair deal.”

Lib Dems launch campaign against Labour’s ‘vanity publishing’ magazine

Aberdeen’s Liberal Democrat ‎councillors haveIMG_0169-0.JPG launched a campaign calling on Labour-led Aberdeen City Council to drop their scheme to spend tens of thousands of pounds printing and circulating to homes across Aberdeen a magazine publishing the council’s “achievements”.

Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill said “We couldn’t believe it when Labour councillor Willie Young proposed this stupid and outrageous magazine scheme at last week’s council meeting. It’s a disgrace that Labour and their allies think it’s acceptable to spend tens of thousands of pounds on this. This is money that could be used on local services such as buying books for schools, providing social care or filling potholes.‎”

Councillor Yuill continued “So many people have contacted us about this over the last few days that we have now launched an online petition calling for this daft magazine scheme to be dropped. People can back the campaign via Facebook.”

Ian Yuill concluded ‎ “It seems Labour doesn’t trust Aberdeen’s local media and are resorting to expensive vanity publishing. Frankly if Labour don’t like the coverage they get in the local press and on local radio and TV they have no one to blame but themselves. It’s an outrage that Labour and their allies have decided to spend council tax payers’ money on this magazine.”

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – CHAPEL OF STONEYWOOD TO FAIRLEY ROAD

diggingAn existing Temporary Traffic Order has been modified. The details are as follows :
Category :Temporary Traffic Signal
Traffic Order Number :2016/274/TL
Emergency : No
Start Date and Time : 10 October 2016 09:30
End Date and Time : 28 October 2016 15:30
Location : CHAPEL OF STONEYWOOD TO FAIRLEY ROAD
Description : Temporary traffic lights in use for AWPR works – between North Kingswells junction and Kepplehills junction. Working 09:30 to 15:30.

Council Backs Delaney On Kingswells Buses

ACCAberdeen City Council has agreed a motion from Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney which seeks to ensure Kingswells residents are not left without a bus service and also looks at wider issue of public transport provision across the city.

Steve spoke of First’s total disregard for the residents of Kingswells and the difficulties they will experience if bus services are withdrawn and sought cross-Party support to find a way forward.

It all played out in a somewhat theatrical manner as Labour tried to block the motion twice. Steve then sought an adjournment from the Lord Provost in an attempt to find a way forward without division. What was agreed retained the focus and immediacy of the Kingswells situation.

Steve said, “It was somewhat bizarre how this all played out but I achieved what I had set out to do. This was to gain all Party support from the Council to do everything in it’s power to retain bus services in Kingswells and for politicians of all Parties to work together in order to achieve this. Anything less would have been a missed opportunity”.

“My thanks go to all councillors for their support. Also thanks to the Kingswells residents who sat through a very long meeting to hear this item”.

The full debate can be viewed online. Just select “7 a) Motion by Councillor Delaney” from the menu on the right of your screen. You will need to scroll down to find it.

What was finally agreed reads as follows:-

“That Council:-

1. Deplores FirstAberdeen’s intention to terminate the X40 service to Kingswells at the end of this year, effectively leaving an entire community without access to public transport.

2. Instructs the Director of Communities, Housing & Infrastructure to seek a meeting with FirstAberdeen to seek to reverse this decision and to further emphasise the need for services to be provided to all areas of Aberdeen.

3. Instructs the Chief Executive to meet with Group Leaders to consider how best to ensure that Kingswells residents are not left without a service and investigate how best to protect our communities across Aberdeen from further service withdrawals.

4. Reaffirms the decision of the Finance, Policy and Resources Committee and asks the Chief Executive to arrange for public meetings in Kingswells and Bridge of Don to take place, which seek to feed back and discuss options which are identified by residents and from the drop in sessions.

Temporary Traffic Lights Imposed – CHAPEL OF STONEYWOOD TO FAIRLEY ROAD

diggingA New Temporary Traffic Lights has been imposed with the following details :
Category :Temporary Traffic Signals
Traffic Order Number : 2016/274/TL
Emergency : No
Start Date and Time : 10 October 2016 09:30
End Date and Time : 14 October 2016 15:30
Location : CHAPEL OF STONEYWOOD TO FAIRLEY ROAD
Description : Temporary traffic lights in use for AWPR works – between North Kingswells Junction and Kepplehills junction. Working 09:30 to 15:30.

Energy From Waste Plant Approved

incinerator-picAberdeen City Council yesterday approved the construction of an Energy From Waste plant to divert non-recyclable household waste from landfill.

The proposal was the subject of a six hour debate. The item before councillors was a Planning Application in which they were required to determine the suitability of the plant on purely planning ground as any health or environmental concerns fell outwith the discretion of the Council, falling instead to the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).

Following on from the decision, the operators will need to apply for a licence from SEPA, who will monitor the operation of the facility and have the power to intervene at any time, should the operators fail to comply with stringent environmental regulations in any way.

The plant will also generate electricity as a by-product of the incineration process, with the potential to alleviate fuel poverty in the Torry area.

The Energy from Waste plant will compliment a new recycling facility which will support mixed recyclate collections and allow many more items to be recycled than is the case at present. The mixed recyclate collections will begin early in 2017 and will be phased in over a few months.

More Shenanigans At Fawlty Towers!

Town HouseLabour have shot themselves in the foot again! At today’s Council meeting they pushed through a decision to publish a 12 page glossy booklet outlining their achievements over the last four years, to be sent out with next year’s Council Tax bills, just weeks away from the Council elections!

Following on from a similar communication setting out a view on the Scottish independence referendum in 2014, today opposition Parties mounted a robust opposition to this proposal.

Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Delaney opposed the previous communication even though he supported the sentiment of that letter which supported Scotland’s continuance as part of the UK. His opposition was on the basis that Council Tax payers should not be footing the bill.

Steve said, “This is political propaganda at its worst. If Labour want to tell everyone about their achievements I’m fine with that. There’s an election next year. By all they means put this in their leaflets and let voters arrive at their own conclusions, just don’t expect Council Tax payers to pay for it”.

Broad Street Safety Concerns Highlighted

Artist-impression-of-Marischal-SDetailed plans for a rejuvenated Broad Street were today approved unanimously by Aberdeen City Council. The plans offer an attractive streetscape designed to be more pedestrian friendly, with innovative lighting, a water feature and an area of greenery.

Whilst backing the plans, Liberal Democrat leader, Ian Yuill, expressed concerns over the decision to remove traffic lights from the junction of Upper Kirkgate, Gallowgate and Broad Street. However, it was agreed that the appropriate infrastructure to support traffic lights would be present, should this later be considered necessary.

Local councillor Steve Delaney said, “With a bus a minute running through Broad Street, my concerns about pedestrian safety remain. I can only hope that these fears are never realised”.

“With regard to the design itself, it’s surprising appealing and will add much value to the area, even if we are faced by the monstrosity of Marischal Square across the road!”

Bus Petition Handover

busKingswells residents today travelled on the X40 to FirstGroup HQ to hand over petitions with well over 2000 signatures objecting to the planning withdrawal of the X40/11 services from Kingswells at the end of this year.

Steve Delaney said, “I’d like to pay tribute to Pam Hudson, Aleen Shinnie, Eric Clark, Joe & Isabell Ritchie, Jim Henderson, Jeanette Taylor and the many other local people who took the time and effort to gather these signatures. Also thanks to everyone who made the trip to First today to hand over the petition”.

The event was covered by the Evening Express, Press & Journal, Northsound, Original FM, BBC Radio and STV amongst others and was supported by Grampian Senior Citizens Forum and Unite the Union. Grateful thanks to all for helping raise awareness of the campaign.

A number of the organisers joined Steve in a meeting with FirstAberdeen’s Operations Director, David Adam. In the meeting, which lasted about half an hour, residents raised concerns about the accuracy and methodology used to gather passenger numbers. It was also conveyed to First that they had a moral obligation to provide services to all areas of Aberdeen.

Discussion centred around people’s inability to get to and from their workplace and the impact on elderly and disabled people who will be unable to attend medical appointments and may become socially isolated. A number of other concerns raised by local people were also aired.

Mr Adam confirmed that the service would be reviewed again in December with respect to NHS parking permit holders using the X40 during the closure of ARI’s car park. However, he did not commit to extending the service, even until July 2017, when the new car park at ARI is due to be completed.

Steve said, “I appreciate Mr Adam having taken the time to meet with us. He politely listened to our concerns and agreed to look further into passenger numbers and how these had been collated. He also asked us to encourage people to attend next week’s consultation events”.

“We left convinced that First’s decision to withdraw services from Kingswells was pretty much a done deal. However, it is vital that residents attend next week’s consultation events as the Council will be taking note of all concerns and will take cognisance of these in their response to First”.

“If indeed First do withdraw the service, your comments may well be used to inform the social need component of any new service, so please don’t walk away in disgust (as tempted as you may be) as we all need to work together on this”.

Confusion Over X40 Role During ARI Car Park Construction

_90484108_aricarparkA number of Kingswells residents have contacted Liberal Democrat councillor Steve Delaney over the posting of a news item on NHS Grampian’s intranet last week regarding the construction of their new multi-storey car park.

During the construction period, which commences on 10th October, the existing patient car park will be closed as will the adjacent staff car park, which is being taken over by the construction team. As a result, there will be very little car parking, not just for patients and visitors, but also for staff. This will create significant difficulties for staff who live outwith the city or in areas with less frequent bus services, along with challenges for NHS Grampian if staff can’t get to work.

The release from NHS Grampian says, “As a result staff car parking will be significantly reduced until the expected project end date of July 2017″……

“Foresterhill Health Campus permit holders will be able to park and travel free on the X40 from the Bridge of Don and Kingswells Park & Ride”.

This statement appears to cut across First’s decision to axe the service from the end of 2016. As a result, Steve contacted FirstAberdeen’s Commercial Manager, Daniel Laird for comment.

In his response of 28th September Mr Laird said, “This message has been communicated in error by NHS Grampian. We have been involved in discussions with their estates team regarding potential transport arrangements during the car park works, but as of today, we have not entered into any agreement with them. I have requested a meeting later this week with the estates team and if an agreement is reached, this will be communicated.”

Steve said, “This is particularly unsettling for ARI staff and indeed for patients if staff are unable to get to work. This debacle suggest to me that either First have failed to communicate their intention to cease operation of the X40 to NHS Grampian, either that or they may be willing to stave off the axing of the service until next July”.

“If indeed they do reach an agreement, a stay of execution for the X40 would of course be welcomed. I have no idea as to how this would be funded. However, I would have grave concerns if this was happening as a result of cash strapped NHS resources being used to top up First Aberdeen’s coffers for the next few months, only for First then to walk away”.

Bus Petitions – Next Steps

bus posterAs everyone will be aware, a number of petitions opposing the withdrawal of bus services from Kingswells have been doing the rounds. These have been organised by local people incensed at FirstAberdeen’s decision.

At their request local councillor Steve Delaney met earlier this week with a number of people who have been instrumental in gathering signatures to discuss next steps. As a result, it was agreed that the petitions will be handed to FirstAberdeen next week, with copies going to the Chief Executive of Aberdeen City Council and the Scottish Traffic Commissioner.

Residents are asked to make their way to First’s HQ in King Street for 10.45am on Wednesday 5th October. Please come along if you can, in order to demonstrate the level of concern in our community. A good turnout is absolutely essential. At 11.00am the petitions will be handed to a representative of First with covering letters requesting a formal response to the organisers. First have agreed to a short meeting with the petition organisers and Councillor Delaney thereafter.

Steve said, “I’ve been impressed with the way the community has united in opposition to First’s intention to withdraw our bus service and at the dedication and determination of local people to oppose this”.

“The petitions have arisen as a result of a grassroots movement, they have been community led and they clearly demonstrate that these genuine concerns need to be listened to and this decision reversed”.

“The handing over of these petitions demonstrates the community’s determination to ensure we retain a bus service which covers the whole of Kingswells. Please do come along if you can”.

Kingswells Bus Service – Drop In Sessions

drop-in-sessionsAberdeen City Council are to hold two drop-in sessions at Kingswells Community Centre on Wednesday 12th October from 16.00 – 19.30 and on Saturday 15th October from 11.00 – 14.30. FirstAberdeen have confirmed their attendance.

Residents can come along at any time and discuss matters with representatives from First Aberdeen and Aberdeen City Council, there will be two tables for First Aberdeen and two for Aberdeen City Council to allow face to face discussions and a waiting area will also be provided until a table is clear.

Steve Delaney said, “I’m disappointed it has not been possible to hold a public meeting. Drop in sessions are fine for gathering information, but can work less well in respect of everyone getting all their points across”.

“Regardless of whether or not you feel these sessions will be of value, I would urge you to attend one or other of them. It is vital that all your concerns are fed into the process. There’s also an issue of credibility if sessions are organised and few people turn up”.

“The fact that some people may consider the process to be pointless, given that First have already taken the decision, is irrelevant. Looking at the bigger picture, if you want to continue to have a bus service in Kingswells, you need to be there and you need to have your say”.

Some concerns have been expressed about holding these sessions during the school holidays, with some families away. Anyone unable to attend can provide feedback regarding to their use of the bus services, what bus services they would like in the area/minimum service level required or to enquire about the reasoning behind the proposed withdrawal of bus services and the process which is being undertaken by emailing Aberdeen City Council at mayule@aberdeencity.gov.uk

New Temporary Traffic Lights Imposed – c93c Borrowstone Road

diggingA New Temporary Traffic Lights has been imposed with the following details :
Category :Temporary Traffic Signals Start Date and Time : 03 October 2016 09:30
End Date and Time : 07 October 2016 15:30
Location : c93c Borrowstone Road
Description : Temporary traffic signals for use during AWPR works north of the junction with Skene Road. Operational 0930-1530 each day.

New Temporary Traffic Order Imposed – Croft Road, Mastrick Drive

diggingA New Temporary Traffic Order has been imposed with the following details :
Category :Parking Restriction
Start Date and Time : 17 October 2016 08:00
End Date and Time : 02 December 2016 18:00
Location : Croft Road, Mastrick Drive
Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order is to impose a temporary prohibition of waiting on Croft Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Mastrick Drive and Croft Place, from 08:00 on 17 October, 2016, until 18:00 on 11 November, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the same stretch of road. There will be a prohibition of waiting on Mastrick Drive, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Croft Road and New Park Road, from 08:00 on 14 November, 2016, until 18:00 on 2 December, 2016. There will also be a prohibition of traverse on the south footway of the same stretch of road. The measures are necessary to protect public safety during works to form a new entrance and bus stop.

Changes in Temporary Traffic Order – C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road

diggingAn existing Temporary Traffic Order has been modified. The details are as follows :
Category :Road Closure
Start Date and Time : 16 September 2016 20:00
End Date and Time : 17 October 2016 06:00
Location : C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road
Description : Aberdeen City Council has made the above-named order in terms of its powers under Section 14(1) of the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984. The effect of the order, which will operate from 20:00 on the Friday evening until 06:00 on the Monday morning on weekends beginning 30 September, and 7, 14 October, 2016, is to impose a temporary prohibition of driving on the C89C Chapel of Stoneywood-Fairley Road, Aberdeen, between its junctions with Kingswells Crescent and the C88C Newhills Road. Access to properties will be maintained, but no through traffic will be possible. The measure is necessary to protect public safety during AWPR works.
Alternate Route : An alternative route is available via the A944 Skene Road, Lang Stracht-Green Hedges, and A944 Lang Stracht, the A90 North Anderson Drive, the A96 Great Northern Road, Auchmill Road, and Inverurie Road.

New Temporary Traffic Lights Imposed – C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road

diggingA New Temporary Traffic Lights has been imposed with the following details :
Category :Temporary Traffic Signals
Start Date and Time : 01 October 2016 09:30
End Date and Time : 02 October 2016 15:30
Location : C89C Chapel of Stoneywood to Fairley Road
Description : Temporary traffic signals for use during AWPR works 500m north of the junction with Kingswells Crescent. Operational 0930-1530 each day.