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[pogofish]

This is a difficult one - Even though I'm in general agreement with the more roads - more traffic line of thought, I also recognise that Aberdeen has missed-out on two generations of roadbuilding, largely because of the indecision over this & as a result, we really do need something.

However, as the plans stand the proposals for the southern part of the scheme are a fudge & a cop-out that will not help in any meaningful way. They go completely against the normal traffic flow in the area & I really cannot see that many drivers prepared to double back by several miles once they have reached the very edge of the city. The previous Myrtle route made much more sense that way.

I am also speaking as one whose property would have been slightly affected by one of the road allignments associated with the original plan but not the current one.

[Bigsby]

Originally Posted by Hugh_Jazz

As for more roads = more traffic......how?

Induced demand - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[Cloud]

Originally Posted by Lucky Rathen

Bring back the trams I say.

Fucking right.

There's a tram service here, and you won't believe how incredibly useful they are - the network is pretty dense and goes everywhere of importance, they run frequently (a tram from my flat to the city runs every 3 minutes) and they're generally great.

[u70jc]

I think Aberdeen needs this new bypass and also more public transport. Not just more buses, but more options: trams, trains, those wee guys that have carriages on their bikes, bring it all back!!

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Cloud

Fucking right.

There's a tram service here, and you won't believe how incredibly useful they are - the network is pretty dense and goes everywhere of importance, they run frequently (a tram from my flat to the city runs every 3 minutes) and they're generally great.

Yeah, it's definitely a viable idea. It will be interesting to see what difference the trams will make in Edinburgh when they come back (they have already started laying the lines in Leith etc).

[Chris#2]

Apparently the tram lines down Union St. are still in place - they just laid tarmac over them. Dunno if it's true, but multiple people have told me this.

The trams in Manchester are brilliant. Aberdeen could do with a service like that.

[Lucky Rathen]

They spoke about bringing them back here a few years ago, to link the city centre to the beach, but it never materialised.

[pogofish]

Originally Posted by Chris#2

Apparently the tram lines down Union St. are still in place - they just laid tarmac over them. Dunno if it's true, but multiple people have told me this..

It certainly was true & the lines probably still remain in many parts of the city - esp where they also simply tarmaced over the old granite setts (cobbles). However Union St, Market St etc have all undergone major reconstruction & strengthening work in the last couple of decades & where that has happened, the lines would have been removed.

I can remember seeing them exposed by roadworks in several places over the years & I think that included Union St & Queens Rd. The rails also remain in place at the former Waterloo Station by the harbour & were fully exposed for checking a year or two ago, before being covered over again for the current railhead/lorrypark development. IIRC, the idea was that now the harbour has lost its link to the Joint Station across Market St/Union Sq, it will be easy to expand the remaining single-line railhead if demand ever increases again.

I'm in two minds about trams - As far as PT goes, they are fine but as I also ride a motorbike, I have to say that I've had some hairy moments with skidding around on or getting a wheel caught in lines in various european cities. Not fun! From that POV, electric trolleybuses are much safer IMO.

[KimyReizeger]

I didn't realise, but it is basically happening, with the only question being that of the exact route. I had thought the whole thing was still up for debate:

This inquiry is supposed to test the suitability of the chosen route, yet opponents are trying, even at this late stage, to turn it into an inquiry into whether or not a road should be built at all.

Many neutral observers will scratch their heads and wonder why the need for a road is being challenged now when democratically-elected government ministers have decided that it should go ahead and where the route should be.

[Tubthumper]

The bypass idea isn't new. Kimy. This has been going on for years.