proposal for A90 between Aberdeen and Stonehaven would ban vehicles without passengers
Car sharing-only lane planned for busy north-east road
Published:
Transport chiefs have made plans to put a car-sharing lane on one of the north-east’s busiest roads.
The pilot scheme could ban motorists travelling without passengers from using a lane of the A90 between Aberdeen and Stonehaven.
A study produced for regional transport partnership Nestrans recommends launching a pilot into a “high occupancy vehicle” lane on the A90 northbound, between Charleston and Cairngorm Road, once Aberdeen’s long-awaited western bypass is completed in 2012.
Officials said in a report to a Nestrans meeting that the study had concluded such a lane would be “physically, safely and legally achievable,” at a cost of around £566,000.
Several similar schemes have been introduced in England, including on roads around Leeds and Bristol.
The AA has warned the lanes are open to abuse, but South Gloucestershire Council – which introduced a similar scheme – said it had received positive feedback.
The local authority added that some motorists had saved up to £1,000 a year, while some journey times had been cut by 10 minutes.
The plans for the north-east are to be considered by Aberdeen City Council and Transport Scotland.
Nestrans convener and deputy council leader Kevin Stewart said: “The pilot will not take place until after the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR) and A90 park-and-ride are up and running. It’s only right that we pilot such schemes to see if high occupancy lanes reduce the amount of traffic. It’s essential that we try to cut down on the cars on our roads.”
Meanwhile, opposition Labour councillors in Aberdeen have written to every member of Nestrans to criticise the “undemocratic behaviour” of Liberal Democrat and SNP councillors in Aberdeen City Council’s ruling administration.
Members of the administration last month blocked Labour’s nomination of group secretary Willie Young to the Nestrans board, voting instead for Independent councillor and anti-AWPR campaigner Marie Boulton.
Labour group leader Barney Crockett said the move represented a “major breach of usual practice and democratic behaviour”.
Mr Stewart, SNP leader in the city, said Mrs Boulton was democratically elected.
