The Final Draft Local Transport Strategy (LTS) 2008-2012 has now been published - and the last round of public consultations on the document will run until mid-January next year.

The final draft of the new LTS sets out Aberdeen City Council's vision and objectives for improving the city's transport system and puts forward a comprehensive list of actions and policies which the council will strive to implement between 2008 and 2012.

The new document will replace the existing LTS, which was produced in 2000.

The LTS considers walking, cycling, public transport, travel planning, road maintenance, road safety, parking and freight.


Although the document only covers the period up to the planned opening of the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route (AWPR), it proposes a number of "demonstration projects" for a range of interventions that could be used to lock in the benefits of the new route.

These include innovative measures that could improve the city's transport network, such as High Occupancy Vehicle Lanes and Large Vehicle Lanes.

Earlier this year the council asked for people's views on a Consultative Draft LTS, which was prepared in recognition of the need for a full debate on the pros and cons of specific interventions that could be implemented through the LTS to address local challenges and needs.

The Consultative Draft LTS - which followed the publication of the Scottish Government's National Transport Strategy and the Nestrans Regional Transport Strategy - gave local people and stakeholders the chance to have their say on how the city’s transport system should be developed. The results from the consultation process have been very important in developing the Final Draft LTS.

Copies of the Final Draft LTS have now been sent to key stakeholders across the North-east.

(GK/JM)