Union Street: Cost of revamp could go up as bike lane design slows work

Drawing up segregated bike lanes for Union Street has stumped city planners so much they need another two months to do it.

Plans for the new-look Union Street were expected to be revealed late last year.

But council chiefs pushed it back until February, blaming “design evolution” in the £20 million project for the wait.

“Integration of cycle infrastructure and public transport has taken longer than anticipated,” they admitted.

The facelift of the Market Street to Bridge Street stretch is expected to bring a £5m-a-year boost for the local economy.

But this latest delay could hit council coffers, after previous warnings that construction inflation was “only going one way”.

Segregated Union Street cycle lane agreed last summer

The inclusion of a segregated cycle lane, first in the central stretch but later along the entirety of Union Street, was agreed in July.

Bike campaigners had urged councillors to include the separated routes on the Granite Mile after being scared for their lives among traffic on the bus-only central stretch.

But disability reps worried the lanes would make Union Street a “no-go” for blind and deaf people.

The council was expected to name a preferred contractor to carry out the £20 million overhaul of the Market Street to Bridge Street strip by the end of the year.

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In the summer, it had been hoped the 15-month work could start as early as this month.

With construction inflation “only going one way”, masterplanner Sandy Beattie warned in July that any extra wait would cost the cash-strapped city authority.

“Any delay will cost us more money,” he cautioned.

Cycling among Union Street traffic like ‘fleeing Terminator’

His words came as councillors debated the segregated cycle lane, which had been fought for by cycling groups.

Cycling lobbyists claimed navigating the remaining traffic in the bus and taxi only section of Union Street felt like “fleeing Terminator”.

Their hopes were nearly ended when councillors heard concerns that the visually and hearing impaired could be scared away from the Granite Mile by encounters with zipping cyclists.

But approval was only waylaid by a only few days, maintaining hopes then of possibly being under way in January.

Work was previously hoped to begin in August, but that was before planners were sent back to the drawing board to include the bike lanes.

A preferred contractor was also expected to be named by the end of 2023.

Union Street bike lanes could spell end for other cycling infrastructure in Aberdeen city centre

The – likely costly – delays in getting schemes to councillors for approval was raised by Conservative group leader Ryan Houghton in December.

At the last council meeting, the Airyhall, Broomhill and Garthdee Tory said: “I notice we have five delayed reports.

“In previous meetings there have been a growing number of reports being delayed.

“We are consistently getting delayed reports. I’m concerned things are not running as smoothly as they perhaps could.”

Churlish chief executive Angela Scott said: “A couple of reports are due to external events.

“A couple are due to capacity and volume of time commitments.

“So apologies to the chamber, we will do our best…”

Chief planner David Dunne added that segregated bike lanes were being drawn up for the length of the Granite Mile had altered other work too.

Proposals for an active travel route parallel to Union Street, linking to Skene Street, Carden Place and the A944 Aberdeen to Westhill road could be dropped.