Public given opportunity to comment at the start of additional active travel planning for A944 corridor

20 January 2020

People in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are being asked to take part in a consultation for a new active travel route including a segregated cycle path for the A944 corridor.

The route would be between Kingswells in the city and Westhill in Aberdeenshire and the aim is to encourage more people to walk or cycle and reduce car journeys.

The study is to provide recommendations to both Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council to inform the implementation of a continuous active travel route for walking and cycling between the two communities.

The study is engaging with current and potential users and community representatives to develop and design options that meet the needs of all user.

The public are being asked at this initial stage to take part in a Placeholder consultation where they can give helpful comments on an interactive map. At the same time, sessions are being held with key stakeholders in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire for their input.

Aberdeen City Council transport spokesperson Councillor and Chair of Nestrans Sandra Macdonald said: “This corridor is already well used by cyclists and pedestrians in its current form and we have a great opportunity to create a flagship segregated corridor.

“I’d encourage everyone who lives in the area to take part in the Placecheck consultation to get as much feedback from local people as possible.”

Councillor Peter Argyle, chair of Aberdeenshire Council’s Infrastructure Services Committee and Vice-Chair of Nestrans, said: “It is hugely-important that we support more people in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to walk and cycle for regular short journeys.

“This new active travel route will not only enable us to improve the health of our residents and create safer communities, but will also help reduce the impacts on our environment.”

The study would influence a route which is constructed in accordance with standards set out in national guidelines while recognising the requirement to consider the route’s interaction with the Kingswells south junction on the bypass (AWPR).

The options for the new active travel A944 corridor are being considered by Nestrans, the regional transport partnership, with input from Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council.

A later part of the work for the corridor is to ensure that infrastructure improvements are accompanied by an intensive behaviour change campaign in local communities and with key trip generators along the route in order to raise awareness and encourage use of the route.

People can take part in the Placecheck at https://placecheck.info/maps/aberdeen.