Brakes put on Union Street cycle lane plans
Plans will be debated at the next full council meeting in seven weeks
Last updated 5th Jul 2023
A decision over the future of central Union Street has been delayed by another month following a meeting of the council's Finance and Resources Committee.
It's after opposition councillors voted to defer the decision to the next full meeting of council, a whole seven weeks away, on the 23rd of August.
Moments before, SNP and Lib Dem councillors had voted in favour of the plans which officers recommended.
But the Labour and Conservative groups want everyone to have their say.
Two-way lane 'not out first choice'
The Chair of the Aberdeen Cycle Forum, Gavin Clark, spoke to the committee earlier in the day.
Despite broadly agreeing with the plans, he admits it isn't everything the forum wanted.
"The reason I asked to speak at the meeting today was to express support for the design they've came up with.
"The design they have now is a two-way cycle track on one side of the street only.
"That wouldn't have been our first choice, but they tell us in the space available that's the only thing that they can really do to provide segregation. On that basis, we're happy to support it.
"Normally we would just want a one-way cycle lane on each side of the street.
"Having a two-way cycle lane on one side, the disadvantage is someone has to cross back to the other side to continue their journey."
Could the lane be extended?
Continuing, Mr Clark hopes that the segregation isn't for central Union Street only.
He's hoping for a full route to the beach, which could encourage more people onto their bikes.
"The bit we're talking about is a relatively short section of Union Street only.
"The hope that it would be expanded to cover the entire length of Union Street and possibly beyond, through Castlegate, and a full cycling lane to the beach.
"At the moment getting down to the beach on a bike is really quite difficult, there's some horrendous roundabouts. You wouldn't take your kids on them and you wouldn't expect your Granny to go on them."