One of the most frequent issues raised at the Community Council is speeding on our narrow streets. The CC is in regular contact with the council and with local councillors on this subject. So its pleasing to see a speed warning sign recently installed on the Mill Road.

Way back in 2012 a traffic survey was carried out by Aberdeenshire council various for parts of the town.

Here are some of the results of that survey.

The figures below include information on the “85 percentile” speed.
This is defined as “the speed at or below which 85 percent of all vehicles are observed to travel under free-flowing conditions past a monitored point.” and is one of the parameters used by traffic engineers when determining the most appropriate speed limit for a section of road

Cowgate – Distillery End: 85% – 24 mph in both directions
Average Speed – 19 mph in both directions
Max. speed – 34 mph in both directions
    
Cowgate – Baker St end85% – 22 mph in both directions
Average Speed – 17 mph in both directions
Max. speed – 33 mph towards Distillery and 30 mph towards Commercial Road.
South Road,85th% 2010 = 36 mph; 2012 = 29 mph
average speed: 2010 = 31 mph; 2012 = 25 mph
Urquhart Rd85th%: 2010 = 31 mph; 2012 = 27 mph
average speed: 2010 = 27 mph; 2012 = 23 mph
Commercial Rd85th%: 2010 = 33 mph; 2012 = 28 mph
average speed: 2010 = 28 mph; 2012 = 24 mph

Following the 2012 survey Grampian Police undertook an enforcement campaign over a 6 week period which led to a number of motorists being stopped and spoken to regarding their speed.

The CC remains in regular contact with Aberdeenshire Council regarding this issue.