Part of King Street, along with some other major roads in Aberdeen, will have their speed limit cut from 30mph to 20mph in a bid to boost safety.
The reduction will affect more than 1,400 streets across the Granite City – including parts of Auchmill Road, Ellon Road in Bridge of Don, Great Northern Road and the Lang Stracht.
Aberdeen City Council moved ahead with the scheme in a meeting yesterday, targeting streets in “densely populated areas” with “lots of footfall”.
A total of 488 streets in the north of the city – including between School Road and St Peter’s Primary School on King Street – will be affected by change.
Ultimately the council wants to slash speeds on 1,400 roads across Aberdeen.
Streets in the central and southern areas of the city, including Anderson Drive and Great Southern Road, will be decided later in the year.
The Scottish Government wants to ensure all roads in “built-up” areas be reduced to a 20mph speed limit by 2025.
Their aim is to halve road deaths by 2030, with a long-term goal where no one is seriously injured or killed on Scottish roads by 2050.
‘Stop this madness’
Almost 500 streets proposed in the north of Aberdeen were agreed by the committee, except Fairview Street in Danestone – as there are no properties on the road.
The council received 12 objections to the plans for the north of the city, with one consultee urging the authority to “stop this madness”.
Mentioning the controversial city centre bus gates and low emission zone (LEZ), which they said have “caused a lot of damage”, the respondent believed the new lower speed limits would “make it even more frustrating for motorists”.
Council officials, however, argued the move would have “minimal impact”.
An official said: “Various speed surveys we conducted in different residential areas with 30mph speed limit shows that the average driving speed is around 25mph.
“Therefore, reducing speed on residential roads to 20mph will have minimal impact on travel time whilst improving road safety citywide.”
Will anyone even be caught by cops?
At the meeting, former SNP council co-leader Alex Nicoll raised concerns about how police will enforce the changes.
The former police sergeant said: “As we know at this point in time, the police service do not enforce and the procurator fiscal does not progress cases against people simply on
disobeying the speed restriction.”
However, Aberdeen City Could say they will be working with Police Scotland and advising them where enforcement is needed.
Conservative councillor Duncan Massey raised concerns about the measures too.
He said: “People are generally OK with some restrictions in genuine residential areas, like what we already have.
“However, when these restrictions are forced through on major roads with minimal public scrutiny, they realise that these are simply more anti-car measures designed to frustrate drivers and make car travel more difficult.”
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Council is ‘pro-car’ and ‘drivers can get used to a uniform speed limit’
Liberal Democrat councillor Martin Greig defended the move.
“The proposals are intended to reduce air pollution and congestion and to improve road safety,” he said.
“We unanimously agreed to fill in some of the gaps between 20mph zones in the north of the city in the interests of pedestrian and road safety.”
Aberdeen City Council co-leader Ian Yuill said the new speed limits will make streets “safer”, with studies showing that pedestrians are seven times more likely to die being hit at 30mph compared to 10mph below.
The Liberal Democrat politician said: “Lower speeds will make Aberdeen’s streets safer for all.
“Pedestrians in particular are among the most vulnerable on our streets and reduced vehicle speeds mean fewer serious injuries to pedestrians.”
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