Aberdeen road reopens after work to remove cycle lanes finishes eight days early

Work to remove cycle lanes in Aberdeen’s Beach Esplanade has been completed more than a week ahead of schedule.

The section of Beach Esplanade, between Ellon Road and the Beach Ballroom was shut at 8am on November 23.

Council roads staff had warned it could remain closed until December 18.

The temporary road layout – providing safe space for cyclists and maintaining parking and two-way traffic – were only installed along the city’s sea front in August.

But councillors voted to remove them at the end of October.

The council has confirmed the Beach Esplanade is now open again to traffic after the weeks-long removal project.

ROADS UPDATE The Beach Esplanade has now fully re-opened to traffic. Thank you for your patience while works were on-going.

— Aberdeen City Council (@AberdeenCC) December 10, 2020

Previously  the cycle lanes stretched all along the Beach Esplanade from the Bridge of Don – now they begin at the one-way system in front of the cafes, restaurants and shops along to Footdee.

However, the council is expected to close the Footdee end of the beach front next week.

The cycle lanes were installed as part of the £1.76 million city-wide Spaces For People project – much to the protest of motorists at the new road layout.

Beach Esplanade bike lanes ‘not merited’ under physical distancing scheme

Councillors on the city growth committee unanimously agreed to the remove the bike lanes – with convener Douglas Lumsden claiming members felt the active travel route was not “merited as part of the project”.

At the time, council co-leader added: “I would prefer cycling infrastructure to be done properly, with full consultation and planned correctly.

“The Spaces For People measures are temporary and had to be done at speed.”

Beach Esplanade cycle lanes not given ‘solid try’

But the news was greeted with dismay by cycling enthusiasts, who claimed it was the first time the city had actually got infrastructure right by giving them a protected space separate from motorists.

Aberdeen Cycle Forum spokeswoman Rachel Martin said in October: “This cycle lane was honestly the first time I was ever impressed by the council.

“Aside from it being temporary and ugly with the plastic bollards, it is how it should be designed with the road, parking, cycle path and then pavement – it’s not been done in Aberdeen before.

“I understand there were complaints but these could have been addressed but they have taken taxpayer money to do all of this and not even given it a solid try before removing it all.

“By removing the cycling lane we are prioritising the convenience of motorists over than the safety of vulnerable road users.”

All other Spaces For People interventions – including the part-pedestrianisation of Union Street, one-way systems in Rosemount and George Street, and upheaval and road closures in the Bon Accord area – will remain unchanged until at least February.