THE ASSOCIATION OF BRITISH DRIVERS

IN SCOTLAND

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The Western Peripheral Route

The introduction of congestion charging remains a very real possibility to fund the Western Peripheral Route or act as a panacea for congestion in Aberdeen.

It should be said, however, that certain Local Authorities south of the border have been causing the congestion in their own cities through closing roads to cars, increasing parking restrictions, introducing more traffic lights, creating bus lanes and reducing street widths and speed limits. Naturally, this causes drivers to seek alternative routes, the so-called 'rat runs', which subsequently become progressively blocked by "traffic calming."

In many cities such as Edinburgh and especially London, where daily access will be granted for £5, motorists are being told the congestion is all their fault and that they should be prepared to pay again, on top of the excessive taxation already levied on motoring.

Is Aberdeen next? We already have bus lanes that create more congestion problems than they solve and the proposed part pedestrianisation of Union Street threatens to shift traffic problems elsewhere.

Simply opening up all of Aberdeen's bus lanes to cars with two or more occupants would boost traffic flow further and alleviate the frustration of all motorists facing the needless queue of traffic that results from the current restrictions.

If, however, Aberdeen follows a 'designer congestion' blueprint, residents, commuters and businesses could all suffer.

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