Aberdour Road Active Travel Corridor

Fife Council has been developing a new iteration of concept designs for the section of Aberdour Road running from Blacklaw Road to Hospital Hill/Queensferry Road.

The visualisations below show how the proposed infrastructure could look at four key locations on Aberdour Road.

Slide the middle splitter left and right to see the current situation on Aberdour Road (left) versus a potential visualisation of what the street could look like in the future (right).

This is the western part of the proposed infrastructure. The visual below shows how the proposed route links into the share use paths running along Hospital Hill and Queensferry Road.

This is an artistic impression of what the infrastructure could look like to ensure safe access to private properties.

This is an artistic impression of what the infrastructure could look like where the route meets St Lawrence Steet.

This is an artistic impression of what the infrastructure could look like where the route meets the existing infrastructure on the eastern section of Aberdour Road.

Fife Council conducted two drop-in sessions in March 2023 to discuss the designs of the project with local residents.

One of the key concerns for residents was road safety in the project area and there was a desire for measures to encourage drivers to travel within the speed limit. The amended design addresses this by narrowing carriageway lanes and incorporating some speed cushions.

The retention of driveway access, disabled access, and parking was also commonly requested. The revised design ensures that access to driveways will be maintained, with appropriate space for vehicles to manoeuvre.

Another common request was the retention of the established trees in the project area and the prepared design does not remove any trees.

Some residents commented on the appearance of the including the reflection created by bollards. The prepared proposed design accounts for aesthetic appearance and adopts design features that complement the landscape of the street.

All of the feedback from the community engagement to date has been considered by Fife Council in the designs presented.

Stantec's project team, on behalf of Fife Council, is continuing to progress through the current engagement programme for the Aberdour Road Active Travel Corridor. The engagement will continue until Wednesday 13th of March. Feedback can be provided via:

• The online  survey  embedded in this webpage;
• by contacting the project team via  AberdourRoadATC@stantec.com  or,
• by collecting and returning a hard copy of the  survey  to Dunfermline Library and Galleries.

The public drop-in and stakeholder events have now been completed, and we would like to provide a summary of feedback we have recieved to date.

All the comments received have been categorised by recurring themes. So far, the main discussion point on the design of the proposed infrastructure have been:

• Safety;
• Access;
• Maintenance;
• Flooding and drainage;
• Traffic flows and congestion;
• Wider connections;
• Infrastructure location and;
• Inclusion.

Participants so far have provided mixed views on the safety of the design. Comments from the online engagement have emphasised the importance of providing segregation for cycling to improve safety for all users. Conversely, concern has been expressed about driveway access along the length of the route and how this will impact the safety of pedestrians, cyclists and those who reside on Aberdour Road. However, there has been an overall positive response to the traffic calming measures introduced as part of the design.

Access has been a key discussion point across the engagement to date, particularly access to private property along the length of the route, and access for deliveries and removal services. These concerns have been recorded as part of the engagement findings and will be included in the final reporting.

Respondents have expressed that providing this level of segregation will improve access to active travel as a mode of transport for a wide range of users.

Maintenance responsibilities of the proposed infrastructure and consequent safety implications of poorly maintained infrastructure has been discussed. This has also prompted discussion about flooding and drainage in the project area. Respondents have discussed current flooding issues and have concerns about the impact the proposed infrastructure will have on drainage.

Most participants have discussed the levels of congestion and traffic that already exist on Aberdour Road. The design proposes the removal of the filter lane to provide space for the two-way cycle track. To date, most participants have received this negatively as they feel it will worsen congestion in the project area and negatively impact those living there.

Participants have expressed that the proposed route must connect seamlessly and safely with infrastructure on Hospital Hill and Queensferry Road to ensure connection to the wider active travel network.

The inclusivity of the design has been discussed across all engagement activities to date. Respondents have emphasised the importance of ensuring the design is safe and accessible for most vulnerable users. The project team have conducted equalities workshops to ensure a range of users have been accounted for within the engagement programme.

Previous iterations of the designs were also discussed by respondents and whilst segregation was generally accepted as a safe measure, people had mixed views on the preferable location and layout of the cycle track.

Stantec's project team will contiue to gather feedback, and the findings report will be provided to Fife Council to present at the 23rd of April Area Committee Meeting.

The questions recieved and concerns expressed during the engagement so far are addressed below. If you have any further questions you feel have not been addressed here please contact  AberdourRoadATC@stantec.com 

Q1) Will the engagement report be published?

The findings report will be made publicly available in the Committee Report, which is published on the Fife Council website one week before the 23rd of April Committee date. The report can be accessed using the following link:  https://www.fife.gov.uk/kb/docs/articles/about-your-council2/politicians-and-committees/committees/area-committees/city-of-dunfermline-area-committee 

There will be no opportunity for participants of the consultaton to view the report before it is published online as the report must go through the committee system.

Q2) What are the measurements of the design?

Please see below a typical cross-section of the design. This is a representation of one section of the route and measurements can vary depending on surrounding infrastructure, such as bus stops, utilities, and crossings. The carriageway will be slightly narrower than before. It is expected that the narrower traffic lanes will have a positive effect on reducing traffic. The design is still in the early stages and final measurements will be confirmed.

Q3) What are the timescales of the project?

The engagement report is currently being developed, to be presented as an appendix to the committee report for the City of Dunfermline Area Committee on the 23rd of April. Councillors will make a decision on the progression of the project based on the Committee report and engagement report.

Q4) What will the Council do with the engagement findings and recommendations?

The final engagement report will be presented at the April Committee, and Fife Council will consider the recommendations based on the consultation period as part of the project going forward.

Q5) Will the carriageway be resurfaced as part of the project?

Part of the carriageway will need to be resurfaced but a full carriageway resurfacing will be dependent on the scheme budget.

Q6) Will the pavements be resurfaced as part of the project?

The Council cannot commit to resurfacing the entire footway on both sides of the Aberdour Road. However, any surface in the project area that requires attention will be considered for resurfacing as part of the project. This project is a capital project, meaning that changes to the existing footway cannot be made unless new infrastructure is installed.

Q7) Will the north side be dropped kerbing along the length of the project area?

The kerbing on the north side of Aberdour Road will remain largely unchanged, and dropped kerbing along the length of the route will remain. However, the Council may consider pavement parking bans in the future.

Thank you for taking the time to participate in our conversation about future active travel connections in Dunfermline.

Should you wish for any further information about active travel projects in Dunfermline, or Fife more widely, please visit:  Active travel | Fife Council , or email any enquiries to  AberdourRoadATC@stantec.com