Ashgrove Road West (Stage 2)

The Ashgrove Road West area incorporates the space from North Anderson Drive to Westburn Drive and the junctions of Foresterhill and Cornhill. 

Opportunities and constraints

In developing design ideas, we have considered:

• Opportunities: what can be done to deliver community priorities; and
• Constraints: factors that place a limit on what can be done

The opportunities and constraints for Ashgrove Road West are available to view and download here or at the bottom of this page. 

Existing environment

The ideas for Ashgrove Road West aim to reduce traffic speed, dissuade unnecessary through traffic and provide better opportunities for people to travel sustainably and enjoy the area.

Reducing the speed limit to 20mph and re-allocating road space, as indicated in the street width diagrams below, will allow for safe space for walking and cycling by all ages, more crossings, more trees and greenspace, resting places and improved bus waiting areas. 

Existing Ashgrove Road West Street Width (looking west)

Proposed Ashgrove Road West Street Width (looking west)

More detail on the existing environment on Ashgrove Road West is available to view and download here or at the bottom of this page. 

View the Ashgrove Road West sections

The next four pages present the design ideas for the different sections within the Ashgrove Road West area. The final page asks you to feedback on the overall design ideas for Ashgrove Road West. 

Click next to view and feedback on the design idea for North Anderson Drive. 

You told us that the layout of this junction prioritises traffic movement and does not adequately recognise this as a gateway into the community. While North Anderson Drive will remain a significant road corridor, there are opportunities to ensure that people can move across it more easily.

You said:

• Wide entrance encourages high vehicles speeds and through traffic.
• Difficult to cross the junction in time.
• Appearance gives impression this is a through route for traffic
• Difficult to cross the junction in time.
• Not pleasant to cross by bike.
• Parking provision is rarely used which creates the impression of a wide road.

Existing layout

For this section, we have developed an idea for you to consider and feedback on. You can view and download the key features with definitions here or at the bottom of this page.

Design Idea

This design idea emphasises this junction as a gateway into Ashgrove Road West, telling people that it is primarily a local access street rather than a through traffic route.

The design allows people to cross more easily with shorter distances and protected cycling. It will always be a movement space, however there is an opportunity at the north east to work with the community to improve place quality with a gateway incorporating artwork, resting opportunities and landscaping.

Design idea

Tell us what you think

Please feedback on this design idea for North Anderson Drive below then click next to view and feedback on the design idea for Foresterhill. 

This is a key junction for people going to the Foresterhill Health Campus, Stockethill and Cornhill and for emergency access. There is an opportunity to simplify the signalised junction to make this feel safer to use by all modes of travel.

You told us:

• Congested environment with high traffic speeds.
• Confusing and complicated staggered traffic lights with poor signal times for all users.
• Trees are much loved but negatively impact the footway.
• Slow to cross the road in all directions.
• Difficult environment to cycle in.
• Parked vehicles cause confusion on western approach to traffic lights.

Existing layout

For this section, we have developed an idea for you to consider and feedback on. You can view and download the key features with definitions here or at the bottom of this page. 

Design Idea

By reducing the width of crossings, people should have less time to wait at each traffic light. People can cycle through the junction separate to traffic.

By reducing the number of traffic lanes, movements are simplified to reduce the safety concerns people have and dissuade through traffic.

Opportunities to introduce green space can be taken here to create a more pleasant environment.

Design idea

Tell us what you think

Please feedback on this design idea for Foresterhill below then click next to view and feedback on the design ideas for Cornhill. 

This is a key junction for children going to school and students to the university campus. There is an opportunity to change the layout to enable people to cross the road, make the junction feel safer and more attractive.

You said:

• Confusion over right of way from Cornhill Terrace onto Ashgrove Road West causes accidents.
• No crossing for the popular route between Cornhill Terrace and Cornhill Road.
• Poor street lighting and no resting places.
• Difficult to cross the road, poor footway conditions and narrow pavements around busy bus stops.
• Difficult environment to cycle in.
• Signage for Controlled Parking Zone causes confusion.

Existing layout

For this section, we have developed two ideas for you to consider and feedback on. You can view and download the key features with definitions here or at the bottom of this page. 

Idea A (Small Greenspace)

Idea A narrows the side street junctions in order to allow people to walk more easily, with prioritised crossings. By narrowing the junctions, vehicles have to turn slowly and carefully. As well as more space and a better shelter for bus passengers, we suggest moving the bus stop slightly east from its current location.

These changes allow the provision of a new parallel crossing on Ashgrove Road West, and more trees and greenspace to create a more residential environment. Existing driveways remain accessible.

Idea A layout

Drag the arrow right to see the existing street view and to the left for Idea A. 

Idea B (Pocket Park)

Idea B replaces traffic access between Ashgrove Road West and Cornhill Terrace with a pocket park and a Modal Filter to improve the walking environment. Residents would be required to use another route to access Ashgrove Road West. All driveways remain accessible. 

As well as more space and an improved shelter for bus passengers, this creates the opportunity to move the bus stop further east and reduce noise with more tree cover. The new parallel crossing of Ashgrove Road West is closer to the desire line in this Idea.

Idea B layout

Drag the arrow right to see the existing street view and to the left for Idea B. 

Tell us what you think

Please feedback on these design ideas for Cornhill below then click next to view and feedback on the design ideas for Westburn Drive. 

This is a key junction linking Ashgrove Road West and Ashgrove Road with Westburn Drive. There is an opportunity to change the layout of this signalised junction to provide more priority to people walking and cycling and make the junction feel safer for all travel modes. For this section, we have developed two ideas for you to consider and feedback on.

You said:

• High vehicle speeds attempt to beat the traffic lights.
• Not enough time between traffic lights changing with drivers jumping red lights.
• Underutilised greenspace and high walls can feel intimidating to some.
• High vehicle speeds can make walking feel unsafe.
• Difficult environment to cycle in.
• Signage for Controlled Parking Zone causes confusion.

Existing layout

For this section, we have developed two ideas for you to consider and feedback on. You can view and download the key features with definitions here or at the bottom of this page.  

Idea A (Traffic signals)

Idea A proposes a signal controlled junction with protected cycle lanes and parallel crossings. People walking would have priority crossing the cycle lanes. 

By reducing the width of crossings, people should have less time to wait. People of all ages and abilities can cycle through the junction, separate from traffic. By reducing the number of traffic lanes, movements are simplified.

Opportunities to introduce green space can be taken here to create a more pleasant environment. There is an opportunity to provide landscaped access for walking and cycling to Gillespie Crescent and surrounding streets.

Idea A layout

Idea B (Roundabout)

Idea B proposes a roundabout that provides priority over traffic
for people walking and cycling through the junction using parallel
crossings. This concept is common in other countries but relatively new to the UK.

Many people walking and cycling prefer the immediate priority over
traffic so that they have less time to wait. People walking have priority over those cycling. Drivers are required to drive more slowly than at a traditional roundabout, but would experience less delay than at traffic signals.

This Idea requires more land than traffic signals and negotiations would be required with landowners to the north-east and south-east if this was something the community was interested in progressing at this location. We do not anticipate this would require land purchase to the north-west or south-west, however in these locations, arrangements to maintain driveway access would require consideration with those residents.

Idea B layout

Tell us what you think

Please feedback on these design ideas for Westburn Drive below then click next to feedback on the overall design ideas for Ashgrove Road West.