Another step forward in infrastructure improvements to the city centre has been agreed after the Full Council approved a raft of recommendations.
Members agreed several updates to the on-going work for several projects within the area including streetscaping, the new market building, and the Queen Street area.
The Full Council also approved council officers to look into the implications of closing permanently the section of Broad Street between Queen Street and Upperkirkgate to all vehicles, and also to engage with First Bus and Stagecoach to agree a voluntary code of practice that buses adhere to the same driving arrangements in Union Street Central bus zone as are in place in the Broad Street bus zone.
For streetscaping, the committee members agreed a recommendation the programmes for Union Street Central, Market Streetscape Phase 1, and Schoolhill/Upperkirkgate should progress to technical design and delivery with updates reported to a committee on a six-monthly basis.
They also agreed bringing forward Full Business Cases and consideration at committee for the remaining streetscape programmes at Union Street East & Castlegate and Justice Street, Union Street West & West End, and Market Streetscape Phases 2 and 3. It was also agreed that options for the provision of physically segregated cycle tracks/lanes for these areas are also to be brought forward.
It was also agreed to approve the allocation of additional revenue funds to the roads service maintenance budget of £16,700 from 2024/25 onward to maintain the changes to infrastructure.
For the new market building, the members agreed the City Council should proceed with the negotiation and execution of contracts for delivery and report progress back to a committee on a six-monthly basis.
For Queen Street, the Full Council agreed a Strategic Outline Case and the short-listed options will be progressed into an Outline Business Case. This will identify a preferred option and an update to be reported back to Full Council in August 2023.
In the details for the city centre streetscape works, the report said the Union Street Central designs would result in a reduction in general traffic of 60% to 80% on pre-pandemic levels and, in line with Scottish Government’s Cycling By Design recommendations for low speed (20mph limit) and low-traffic areas, accommodate cycling in the carriageway.
The report said phase 2 of the City Centre Masterplan Traffic Management Plan, in order to mitigate the impacts of the traffic displaced from Union Street and Guild Street, supported by the outcomes of traffic modelling exercises, included changes to improve the safety of people walking and cycling.
The report also noted funding from the Scottish Government’s Bus Partnership Fund (BFF) for the delivery of South College Street improvements included bus priority measures including on Market Street, Guild Street and Bridge Street.
Failure to deliver such measures could put this and future BPF funding at risk, potentially reverting costs for the construction of South College Street Phase 1 back to the Council.
The report said implementation of the Market Street/Guild Street/Bridge Street works has a current go live date of next month (January 2023) however this will be dependent on weather conditions to carry out the required road lining work during January.
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Alex Nicoll said: “We welcome the updates on the infrastructure improvements for the city centre and the plans allow for progress for reducing vehicles in the city centre which will make the area a much more pleasant place to work, live, or visit.
“We look forward to hearing more progress in the months to come.”
Aberdeen City Council Co-Leader Councillor Ian Yuill said: “We want to thank people for their patience while works are ongoing to reduce vehicles in the city centre.
“While people’s journeys will take slightly longer, they will still be able to get to their destinations and we look forward to the final infrastructure changes to making a positive change to the city centre.”