Road deaths at low level

The number of people fatally injured on North East roads is at its lowest level since current records began in 1974.
The figures have been highlighted by Road Safety North East Scotland, a partnership of public bodies promoting safe road use locally.
Provisional statistics reveal that during 2017, 14 people died as a result of their involvement in a road traffic collision in Aberdeen, Aberdeenshire and Moray.
Records show the highest number of casualties was in 1976, when 102 people died on North East roads – almost two deaths every week. The previous lowest figure occurred more recently in 2011, when 22 people died during the year.
Meanwhile A90 drivers have been £92,000 over three months for exceeding the speed limit between Stonehaven and Dundee:    https://www.eveningexpress.co.uk/fp/news/local/a90-speeders-fined-92000-in-three-months1/

HQ move may be scrapped

Aberdeenshire Council could scrap plans to move its headquarters from Aberdeen to a new building in Inverurie.
On Thursday councillors will discuss a report which recommends that we should retain the existing offices at Woodhill House while increasing the office presence in Stonehaven, Ellon and Inverurie. Savings will be generated from the disposal of old properties.
 
The report also recommends exploring options to share the current Woodhill House complex with other public bodies.
 
In January 2017 councillors had voted to explore the option of building a new headquarters at Inverurie and quitting Woodhill House. But that was not something that I thought was in the best interests of the residents in North Kincardine.
 
A key factor at that time seemed to be the fact that Aberdeenshire is the only local authority in Scotland to have its headquarters outside its boundary. That is indeed the case, because of historical reasons (we own the former Grampian Region headquarters). However that is not a good basis for spending millions just to move elsewhere. I look forward to Thursday’s debate.
 
To read the report coming before councillors scroll down to item 9 on the agenda once you have clicked on this link: http://committees.aberdeenshire.gov.uk/committees.aspx?commid=1&meetid=18736

Council adopts local streets

Four streets in Marywell have now been adopted by Aberdeenshire Council. They are Bothiebrigs Drive, Checkbar Gardens, Checkbar Way, and Wellington Drive.

These roads have been satisfactorily completed in accordance with a construction consent, granted in accordance with the Roads (Scotland) Act 1984. As such, as roads authority, Aberdeenshire Council, is required under the Act to add the above roads to its Statutory List of Public Roads.

This means the council is responsible for maintenance and repair of the four streets.

Stagecoach axes bus service

Stagecoach has announced it will withdraw the 13:05 204 bus service which runs from Aberdeen to Banchory/Strachan via the South Deeside Road on Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays.

The next alternative journey is 17:20 hours from Aberdeen to Strachan, which runs Monday to Friday.

Information supplied by the operator indicates an average passenger demand of fewer than two passengers per journey.

The implementation date will be 7 May.

Changes to business rates

New business rates changes are introduced today which the Scottish Government hope will help stimulate the economy.
There will be no rates for unoccupied new properties and tenants who take them on will be rates-free for the first year. If improvements are made to a property then no additional rates will be paid as a result of the improvement for 12 months. Eligible childcare day nurseries will also receive up to 100% relief, which ministers say is designed to support nursery provision throughout Scotland by reducing overheads for nursery owners, saving the sector around £6m next year.
Meanwhile Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham has invited her counterparts from across the UK to a summit aimed at exploring the best way to introduce a bottle deposit return scheme. She said there are areas where working together is likely to deliver “greater benefits” UK-wide.
The UK Government announced a consultation on its own version earlier this week, and the Scottish Government is keen to share its knowledge on the matter, having apparently been planning a scheme for the past six months.
I saw such a scheme in action in Norway recently. Less litter too.

Portlethen gala goes ahead

Good news from Portlethen Community Council secretary Mike Lloyd Wiggins today about the town’s gala.
He says: “Just a quick update to let people know that the Portlethen Gala 2018 will be going ahead. We had a good meeting and enough people came forward to help. So onward and upward. The next meeting will be posted shortly so we can start organising things in detail. Many thanks to everyone who stepped forward to help out.”
It was a close call for the gala as without the new volunteers it would not have been taking place.

Village shop closed

Newtonhill’s Village Store is closed today … apparently it has ceased trading.

The shop has been at the heart of the community since opening in 1912, but has struggled in recent years in face of competition.

I wonder what lies ahead for the shop. Scotmid Co-operative leases the shop to tenants – of whom there have been a fair few.

Bus passengers air their concerns

About 40 people attended tonight’s Kincardine and Mearns Bus Forum in Stonehaven. Senior managers from Stagecoach were present.

A wide variety of topics were aired:

– Concerns over the suitability of the X7 coaches (lack of bells, difficult steps, too few seats for disabled passengers), but we are stuck with what we have apparently. Two Portlethen residents voiced their objections, including difficulties with shopping/luggage.

– Complaints that Aberdeen services not serve Laurencekirk.

– A number of poorly-used services will no longer run from May 7, including Muchalls to the park and choose, and Cookney to Bridge of Dee.

– Why are there no competitors to Stagecoach? The answer is that any suitably qualified operator (i.e. has a PSV operator’s licence) can decide to provide a local bus service on a commercial basis.

– An A2B dial-a-bus service is being introduced in Portlethen on Wednesdays.

– Concerns were also voiced about the services around the Saints in Newtonhill and the time it takes for a 7B to travel between Newtonhill and Aberdeen (about an hour) via Portlethen and Marywell.

– Why does the last bus from Stonehaven into Portlethen leave at 8.52pm? This being to be considered by Stagecoach when the next timetable is reviewed.

– Points were made about the frequency of services via the Aberdeen South industrial estate at Hillside.

– I asked when the next revision of the timetable would take place. However there was no definitive answer.

The meeting almost finished on time. However the acoustics in the town hall were poor so perhaps the audience had run out of steam! The next meeting will be in the autumn.

Road closes again

The C12K country road is to close for a further five days while Diona Construction carries out more road crossings on behalf of BT.
This time the work is nearer to Bridge of Muchalls, and follows on from similar work to the west.
The first closure will commence on Monday 9 April for five days. The second closure will begin on Monday 16 April, also for five days.
Emergency and pedestrian access is to be maintained. Vehicular access to affected properties should be maintained whenever possible.