Hundreds of cyclists a day have been faced with navigating a “lethal” road crossing after a key path was “forgotten” during the construction of the £745 million Aberdeen Bypass.
Bikers travelling along the Deeside Way, also known as the Old Railway Line, used to be able to cross the B979 Milltimber to Maryculter road in seconds at a simple, direct crossing.
However, with the arrival of the AWPR, users of the Deeside Way travelling east into Aberdeen claim the journey has become much more hazardous.
They must now pedal diagonally across a road, uphill and then into the face of oncoming traffic on a new bridge built across the bypass to Station Road.
Locals and politicians have questioned the apparent lack of planning, given the route is regularly used by walkers, bikers and horse riders.
Cyclist Carl Gerrard, from Culter, said he uses the path to commute to work every day and has serious concern for the safety of other users.
Since traffic began to use the new bridge in recent weeks, he said the B979 crossing had turned into a “safety nightmare”.
Mr Gerrard explained that a path had originally been planned to make the crossing more straightforward, but has instead there is at present nothing more than a 100ft strip of muddy and rocky ground.
He described it as “completely useless” for bike riders.
Mr Gerrard said: “The AWPR is costing £745 million and is dozens of miles long, but for the sake of building an extra 30 metres of path, people’s lives are being put in danger every day.
“I cycle on the Deeside Way every day to work in Tullos.
“Although as an able-bodied adult I’m able to launch myself over the crossing pretty swiftly, for more vulnerable users and children it’s just a safety nightmare.
“With the speed that cars go up and down this road, it really is just a lethal situation.
“It’s horrible and I think that unless this is fixed something terrible could very well happen.”
Aberdeen South and North Kincardine MSP Maureen Watt said: “Many of my constituents are concerned about the apparent lack of planning for a footpath linking the Milltimber Brae Overbridge to the Deeside Way in the vicinity of the new AWPR.
“Having raised these concerns with Transport Scotland in June, they assured me that although the original planning process did not include a footpath, it was subsequently recognised it would be a necessity.”
A spokesman for Transport Scotland said: “Plans are being progressed to fully reinstate the crossing point on the Deeside Way where it meets the B979.
“This work will be carried out at the earliest opportunity.”
