Technical Notes 2024, Issue 181 - A807 Active Travel Corridor – Project Update October 2024
Report by:
Ann Davie, Chief Executive
TN Number:
181-24
Subject:
A807 Active Travel Corridor – Project Update October 2024
Responsible Officer:
Heather Holland, Chief Planning Officer Executive Officer – Land Planning & Development and Christopher McGeough, Sustainable Transport Officer, Traffic & Transport, Land Planning & Development
Publication:
This Technical Note will be published on the Council’s website following circulation to Members. Its contents may be disclosed or shared outwith the Council.
The purpose of this Technical Note is to provide Members with an update on progress being made on the A807 Active Travel Corridor project, including confirmation of the appointment of a contractor to undertake the works associated with Section 1a and details of the scheduled works.
The A807 Active Travel Corridor is a project which builds on a longstanding Council aspiration to improve connectivity for walking, cycling and wheeling across East Dunbartonshire, with much of the connection located alongside the A807. This proposed link would provide improvements for active travel for all settlements along the route and provide benefits for connectivity and accessibility within communities. This is a committed Council project included within the Active Travel Strategy 2015-2020 and the Local Transport Strategy 2020-2025.
The Council’s strategies include a wider aspiration to have a loop route which connects all key settlements of East Dunbartonshire. This project provides an opportunity to create a key east-west connection as part of this wider loop route, with this section previously identified as being a missing link.
Report PNCA/014/24/CM was approved by the Place, Neighbourhood & Corporate Assets Committee (PNCA) on 23 May 2024, which instructed officers to progress Section 1a by procuring a contractor to undertake the works. The Report also instructed officers to progress Sections 1b, 2 and 3 to the detailed design phase.
The Report committed to keeping Members informed of progress with the appointment of a contractor and details of the construction phase for Section 1a. This section extends from just east of the Rangers FC training ground on Auchenhowie Road to the Allander Toll roundabout. The works include widening the existing footway by utilising the existing grass verge, replacing the existing kerbing along the front of the footway, and junction improvements at Dowan Road including the installation of street lighting.
The Council undertook a competitive tendering process to procure a contractor to undertake the works. The result of this process was the awarding of a contract to Luddon Construction Limited. Officers are now engaged in planning discussions with Luddon and consultants Pick Everard who will be undertaking the role of the NEC contract Project Manager and Supervisor. Pick Everard is also managing an Ecological Clerk of Works who will work closely on the project to ensure the works are undertaken in line with environmental legislation and guidance.
Works are scheduled to start on Monday 4 November, with a programme of 19 weeks. The works programme has been broken down into six phases, with each phase approximately 250m in length. In the interests of contractor and public health and safety, temporary traffic lights will be in place to manage the flow of traffic past each phase of work. With any works of this nature, it is likely this will cause delays on Auchenhowie Road; however, the temporary traffic lights will be manually controlled during the busiest periods to mitigate the disruption. It is currently proposed to keep the road open with the temporary traffic lights controlling the movement of traffic past the works, therefore no diversions will be required or signed. If any change is required to these traffic management arrangements, these will be advertised in advance on the Council’s project and roadworks webpages.
Advanced warning signs of the works have been placed at the start and end of the works area and an update is also available on the project webpage and the Council’s roadworks webpage.
The construction phase of Section 1a is being funded by Tier 1 and Tier 2 of Transport Scotland’s active travel funding model.
Alongside the construction works, the Council is following the statutory process for two legal orders associated with the project including the redetermination of passage of the length of footway in Section 1a to be by pedal cycle and foot only and the change in speed limit at various locations along the entire project length to 30mph, including the length of Section 1a. Work to make these orders is ongoing and if they are made as proposed, they will be signposted in line with statutory requirements following the effective date.
Sweco is commissioned to deliver detailed designs of Section 1b (from Section 1a to Milngavie railway station) and this work is ongoing. Work will soon begin to procure a consultant to deliver detailed designs for Sections 2 and 3 as outlined in the May PNCA Report. Updates on these three sections will be provided in due course, with further instruction sought from the PNCA Committee when appropriate as detailed within the earlier Report.
Further information on progress being made on the project will be presented via future Technical Notes, HGIOS updates and reports to the PNCA Committee in due course.
