The members of Aberdeen City Council’s city growth and resources committee agreed the move which will mean a major opportunity for transformational improvement to the transport experience on the Ellon to Garthdee corridor.

Several options for active travel and buses have been identified as part of the study so far and these will now be progressed to the next stage. These options support carbon reduction, sustainable travel, and modal shift, and will largely address the transport issues along the corridor.

City growth and resources convener Councillor Ryan Houghton said: “It is good to see the progress for the Ellon to Garthdee transport corridor study and we welcome the next stage coming back to committee in December.”

The report to committee said Aberdeen City Council, on behalf of the North East Bus Alliance, commissioned transport consultants AECOM in June 2020 to undertake a Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG)-based study of the corridor to identify and appraise options for improving multimodal transport connections (with an emphasis on public transport and active travel) from the Ellon Park & Ride to Garthdee Road. The study would take into account the status of these roads within the revised North-east Scotland Roads Hierarchy. The study was completed in September 2021.

To help shape the study outcomes, the transport consultants explored the problems, issues, opportunities, and constraints on the corridor through a series of targeted consultations with a number of stakeholders, including active travel groups and bus operators. They also undertook an online public engagement exercise and held a virtual workshop with the client study group, comprising of officers from Aberdeen City Council, Nestrans, Aberdeenshire Council, and the sustainable travel charity Sustrans.

Several options for active travel and buses have been identified as part of the study so far and the full range of options for active travel and bus travel can be viewed in the report to committee. Those elements contained within the city centre will be taken forward as part of the City Centre Masterplan.

The committee heard the study is part of and is being funded by Transport Scotland’s Bus Partnership Fund programme. The Bus Partnership Fund was launched to enable local transport authorities, in partnership with bus operators, to work together to develop and deliver ambitious bus priority schemes to tackle the negative impacts of congestion on bus services. The Ellon to Garthdee corridor is one of a number of corridors and packages covered by the grant award.