Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project: Updated Reports
Argyll and Bute Council · 4 March 2025
Back to Bute and Cowal Area Committee — 4 March 2025 and its agenda
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Bute and Cowal Area Committee DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 04 March 2025 Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project: Updated Reports 1.0 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY 1.1. This report updates members in relation to changes made to the “Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project Stage 1&2 Combined, Engagement Report” and “Rothesay, Pavilion to Albert Pier Car Park Active Travel Project Stage 1&2 Combined, Options Feasibility Report” documents for the Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project following requests from Bute Community Council and Bute BID at this Committee on 03 December 2024. 1.2. References to the Community Council have been updated to the official title of Bute Community Council. 1.3. Comments previously attributed to Bute BID have been amended to note that comments provided at a meeting by a previous Bute BID Coordinator were provided in a personal capacity and not as a formal response by Bute BID. RECOMMENDATIONS It is recommended that the Bute and Cowal members: i.Approve the changes made to the initial feasibility and concept design reports for the Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project to update title of Bute Community Council and note that Bute BID did not submit a formal response.
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ARGYLL AND BUTE COUNCIL Bute and Cowal Area Committee DEVELOPMENT AND ECONOMIC GROWTH 04 March 2025 Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project: Updated Reports 2.0 INTRODUCTION 2.1. This report updates members in relation to changes made to the “Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project Stage 1&2 Combined, Engagement Report” and “Rothesay, Pavilion to Albert Pier Car Park Active Travel Project Stage 1&2 Combined, Options Feasibility Report” documents for the Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project following requests from Bute Community Council and Bute BID at this Committee on 03 December 2024. 3.0 RECOMMENDATIONS 3.1. It is recommended that the Bute and Cowal members: i. Approve the changes made to the initial feasibility and concept design reports for the Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project to update title of Bute Community Council and note that Bute BID did not submit a formal response. 4.0 DETAIL 4.1. At this Committee on 03 December 2024 the Convener of Bute Community Council raised that the Bute Community Council had incorrectly been referred to as “Rothesay Community Council” in a number of places in the reports. Officers agreed to correct the report. 4.2. References to the Community Council have been updated to the official title of Bute Community Council. The Convener of Bute Community Council thanked Officers for making this update via email on 27 January 2025. 4.3. At this Committee on 03 December 2024 a member of the Bute BID board raised that the Bute BID had not provided a formal response to the consultation and that the comments attributed to the Bute BID in the report were not the formal response of Bute BID. Officers agreed to correct the report. 4.4. As part of the consultation in developing the project, a meeting was arranged on 05 August 2024 with the Bute BID Coordinator in post at the time specifically to get Bute BID’s comments on the proposals. The Bute BID Coordinator agreed to distribute the meeting invitation to the wider Bute BID Board. In the event, only the Bute BID Coordinator attended the meeting but at no point stated that they were not speaking on behalf of Bute BID or that any comments made were personal and shouldn’t be attributed to Bute BID. As such, the comments made
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by the Bute BID Coordinator at the meeting were unknowingly incorrectly included as being a response from Bute BID. 4.5. Following this Committee on 03 December 2024, Officers contacted the current Bute BID Coordinator and Bute BID Chair to confirm if Bute BID wished to submit a formal response to the consultation. The current Bute BID Coordinator confirmed that Bute BID could not submit a formal response to the consultation as they had not carried out a consultation with their levy payers. This was due to Bute BID considering it unnecessary, given that individual levy payers could contribute to the consultation directly. 4.6. Comments previously attributed to Bute BID have been amended to note that Bute BID was “Contacted. No formal response received.” and the section of the report previously containing the comments erroneously attributed to Bute BID was updated to state “A meeting was held with the Bute BID Coordinator who offered their personal comments but was unable to provide an official comment on behalf of Bute BID.”. 4.7. Officers have subsequently contacted the current Bute BID Coordinator and Bute BID Chair to confirm that the changes resolve Bute BID’s concerns. 5.0 CONCLUSION 5.1. The reports submitted to the Bute and Cowal Area Committee on 03 December 2024 have been updated to take account of requests raised by the Convener of Bute Community Council and a board member of Bute BID. 6.0 IMPLICATIONS 6.1. Policy Completion of this project will support the Council’s Outcomes Improvement Plan outcomes 1: Transport Infrastructure and 3: Community Wellbeing. The project also supports achievement of the Scottish Government’s objectives set out in the Cycling Action Plan for Scotland (CAPS) and Let’s Get Scotland Walking - The National Walking Strategy. 6.2. Financial The design and construction is planned to be funded by external funding applications. To date, the Council has not contributed any funding to design or capital costs. There is strong evidence that people who are more active, for example by walking or cycling, have been physical and mental health and are less likely to require social care services in later life which could result in a future saving to the Council or HSCP. 6.3. Legal Continued input will be required from Legal Services to support contractual agreements and Traffic Regulation Orders (TROs) should these be necessary.
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6.4. HR None. 6.5. Fairer Scotland Duty: 6.5.1 Equalities Completion of this project will provide opportunities for all in Rothesay to travel more sustainably and actively by walking, wheeling and cycling. This is particularly important to the 41% of households in Rothesay (2022 Census) don’t have access to a motor vehicle. The route has been designed to be DDA compliant and will provide a safe and accessible route for those with mobility aids including wheelchairs and parents/guardians with a child’s pram or buggy. 6.5.2 Socio- economic Duty The route, once completed, will offer residents the opportunity to choose to travel using active travel, which are lower cost than alternative modes of transport. The route will also improve access to essential services, retail, leisure and employment opportunities for residents living along the route, with studies demonstrating those who travelled actively had a higher monthly spend in local businesses than those who travel via motorised transport. The route will also offer opportunities for individuals to travel for leisure, again encouraging spend in local businesses along and connected by the route. 6.5.3 Islands There are no adverse impacts. 6.6. Climate Change Active Travel is the least carbon intensive mode of travel. Providing the opportunity for residents and visitors to consider an alternative to having to use a private car to travel for essential journeys will help lower Argyll and Bute’s carbon footprint. 6.7. Risk There is a reputational risk to the Council if the project is not completed within a reasonable timeframe. 6.8. Customer Services None.
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6.9. The Rights of the Child (UNCRC) Active travel is the most accessible mode of travel to young people, as it does not have any minimum age limits, does not require any form of licence, is free to use and is not tied to any fixed timetable. All new active travel infrastructure is designed to be utilised by an unaccompanied 12 year old. Engagement feedback demonstrates support for the delivery of the improvements from younger members of the community. Wider engagement with school pupils indicates that the majority of pupils across Argyll and Bute strongly support the provision of new active travel infrastructure, even where it would adversely impact other modes of transport. Executive Director with the responsibility for Development and Economic Growth: Kirsty Flanagan Policy Lead for Roads, Transport and Amenity: Councillor John Armour 03 February 2025 For further information contact: Fergus Murray, Head of Development and Economic Growth Fergus.Murray@argyll-bute.gov.uk Colin Young, Strategic Transportation Delivery Officer colin.young@argyll-bute.gov.uk APPENDICES Appendix 1: Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project Stage 1 & 2, Options Feasibility Report Appendix 2: Rothesay Pavilion to Albert Pier Active Travel Project Stage 1 & 2, Engagement Report