Transport in Aberdeen

The network of transportation in Aberdeen is widespread and complex like that of any major city. It is currently receiving the attention of politicians in Scotland who have acknowledged that there has been underinvestment over the past few decades in keeping the infrastructure in line with the needs of the city.

Union Bridge with the Denburn Road and the Aberdeen–Inverness line passing underneath

As an ancient city, Aberdeen has some beautiful infrastructure features such as the Brig o' Balgownie and the Bridge of Dee. Like any other city, the advent of cars has however seen the creation of less beautiful infrastructure such as the Anderson Drive dual carriageway and the Haudagain Roundabout which sees constant tailbacks.

Airport and heliport
Aberdeen Airport terminal building

Aberdeen Airport, in the neighbouring town of Dyce, serves primarily UK and European destinations for passenger and freight flights. It is also the busiest helicopter terminal in the world,[1] serving the many North Sea oil offshore installations. Via commercial airlines, connections are available via London Heathrow, Paris-Charles de Gaulle, Frankfurt and Amsterdam airports to many worldwide destinations. The IATA airport code for the airport is ABZ. A regular airport bus service (route 727 operated by Stagecoach Bluebird) connects the airport directly with the city centre at Broad Street and the bus and railway stations at Union Square.

Railway
Aberdeen railway station

Historical

Aberdeen was connected to the railway network from the south with the opening of Aberdeen Ferryhill railway station in 1850. Three years later, the Deeside Railway opened and the following year the railway was extended to Guild Street. From the north, the Great North of Scotland Railway opened its terminus at Kittybrewster in 1854. A new terminus, Aberdeen Waterloo, opened two years later. The two railways weren't connected until 1867 when the Joint station opened at the site of the present day Aberdeen railway station.

As with many parts of the UK rail network, several lines out of Aberdeen were closed in the 1960s. For example, the Deeside Railway which ran west of the city to Ballater opened in 1853 but the Beeching Report led to the closure of the line in 1966. The line is now a popular walk and cycle route, the Deeside Way. Further lines running north to the commuter town of Ellon and to Peterhead were also closed around this time.

Present day

There are two railway stations in Aberdeen. The main city-centre station is located on Guild Street, adjacent to Union Square which offers a covered interchange with the bus station. The only other station in Aberdeen City is Dyce to the north.

ScotRail services connect Aberdeen to all six other Scottish cities, including Edinburgh and Glasgow, and many intermediate destinations. These services make use of the Dundee–Aberdeen line and Aberdeen–Inverness line. High-speed inter-city services operated by London North Eastern Railway connect Aberdeen to London via Edinburgh in just over seven hours on the East Coast Main Line. A regular stopping service, also run by ScotRail, serves Aberdeen along with all stations between Inverurie and Montrose. Inter-city services operated by CrossCountry connect Aberdeen to south-west England and numerous intermediate destinations such as Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol and Exeter. In addition, the Caledonian Sleeper service makes an overnight journey to/from London Euston six days a week.

Buses

Historical
The former bus station being demolished

Bus services form the main public transportation system in Aberdeen since the closure of the tram network. Most city buses are operated privately by FirstGroup via their subsidiary First Aberdeen (First's global headquarters are located in the city, on King Street). When bus services in the UK were privatised in the 1980s, those in Aberdeen were the subject of a management buy-out. The resulting company developed into FirstGroup following a number of mergers and acquisitions over the years. First Aberdeen has been criticised by local politicians and in the media for taking advantage of its monopoly with high fares and mediocre service.[2] The company has defended its frequent fare rises as being necessary due to high running costs and cuts to government subsidies.[3]

There was formerly a limited night bus service,[4] the night bus network having been cut back in October 2018.[5] Night buses were discontinued during the COVID-19 pandemic.[6]

Sign at Aberdeen bus station, Union Square

Present day

First Aberdeen have the largest share of routes in the city. They operate a hub-and-spoke network - the majority of routes begin at an outskirt or suburb, run through the city centre (often via at least part of Union Street) and then out to another suburb.[7] For example, route 1 runs from Danestone in the north, to the city centre along Union Street, then out to Garthdee in the south-west. Services run at intervals from approximately every 15 minutes (during the day) to every 30 minutes (in the evening and on Sundays). Many of the routes date back to those formerly operated by trams. When the tram system was closed in the 1950s, the same routes were replaced by diesel buses. Many of these same routes, with minor alterations, still run today. Stagecoach Bluebird also operate a single cross-city route; their route 59 operates between Northfield and Balnagask via the city centre and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.

Aberdeen bus station is the terminus for Stagecoach services to outlying villages and towns. Services include the Jet 727, a frequent service linking the bus station at Union Square to Aberdeen Airport, the X7 Coastrider, and the Buchan Express. The city is the northern terminus of the X7 which runs to Perth via Dundee and many towns along the route. These services and other Stagecoach buses that start at the bus station also pick up and drop off passengers within the city itself.

Longer-distance and inter-city buses also operate from the bus station at Union Square. Frequent services to other Scottish cities are operated by Scottish Citylink and Megabus, including the luxury Citylink Gold service to and from Glasgow. National Express operates services to and from London via a number of towns and cities as well as Heathrow Airport.

Current intracity routes

All current intracity routes apart from the 9U operate via Union Street. All routes are operated by First Aberdeen apart from the 59 and 727.

No. Start End Notes
 1  Danestone Garthdee Route 1 replaced the "Bridges" Aberdeen Corporation Tramways route.[8][9] Route 2 was formerly numbered 21, it was renumbered in the 1960s.[10] Routes 1 and 2 are shared between the Bridge of Don and Great Southern Road. Route 1 takes a clockwise route through Garthdee, while route 2 takes an anti-clockwise route.
 1B  Dubford or Bridge of Don Park and Ride Garthdee
 2  Ashwood Park Garthdee
 3  Mastrick Cove Bay Branded "Thistle"[11]
 8 [12] Dubford Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Withdrawal proposed in 2019.[13]
9U[14] Hillhead of Seaton Aberdeen Royal Infirmary Exclusive to University of Aberdeen students, staff, and visitors. Travels directly between Hillhead, Sir Duncan Rice Library, and Aberdeen Royal Infirmary.
 11 [13] Woodend Northfield
 12 [15] Heathryford Torry
 13 [16] Scatterburn Seaton
 15 [17] Beach Retail Park Airyhall
 17 [18] Dyce Shopping Centre Faulds Gate Branded "Northern Lights"[19]
 18 [18] Dyce Shopping Centre Redmoss
 19 [20][21] Tillydrone Peterculter
 20  Hillhead of Seaton Balnagask Formerly operated to Tillydrone but was cut back to Old Aberdeen in the 1960s,[10][22] and subsequently extended from Old Aberdeen to Hillhead of Seaton.[23] The southern terminus was formerly Marischal College.[24][25] The route was extended to Balnagask to take over part of the former route 5, which was withdrawn.[26]
 23 [27] Heathryford Sheddocksley Branded "Sunshine"[11]
 X27  Guild Street Dyce railway station Via Aberdeen Airport. Introduced in 2019.[28]
59[29][30] Northfield Balnagask Operated by hybrid buses since 2012. Expected to be converted to fully electric operation in 2022.[31]
727 Aberdeen bus station Aberdeen Airport 24 hour service

Hydrogen buses

Ten buses were introduced in 2015 as part of a scheme to demonstrate the capabilities of the technology.[32] They ran until 2020, and one was subsequently gifted to the Grampian Transport Museum.[33][34] On 28 January 2021, fifteen double-decker hydrogen-powered buses were introduced. They were funded by Aberdeen City Council, the Scottish Government, and the European Union and are operated by First Aberdeen.[35][36] In February 2022, the fleet was tempoarily taken off the road due to an unspecified technical issue.[37] Buses from First Glasgow were used in their place. The hydrogen buses are expected to return by the end of April.[38]

The buses are refuelled at a facility located in Aberdeen City Council's Kittybrewster depot.[39] The energy company Vattenfall announced, at the beginning of 2022, a proposed demonstrator project to use one of its existing offshore wind turbines to produce hydrogen on the platform itself, and then pipe it to a storage area close to Aberdeen. The production rate from the 8.8MW turbine is targeted to reach 0.18 cubic metres of hydrogen per hour.[40]

Future

Improvements to buses in Aberdeen are planned as part of a project dubbed in January 2022 as "Aberdeen Rapid Transit".[41][42]

Roads

There are six main roads into and out of the city:

The A90 Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route opened in stages during 2018 and 2019 and provides a bypass around the city from Blackdog in the north to Stonehaven in the south, diverting traffic away from the city centre and from the city's original ring road, Anderson Drive, built in the 1930s.

Bridges

Aberdeen's two main rivers, the Dee and Don are currently crossed by a variety of bridges, varying from modern structures to older stone bridges dating back hundreds of years.

River Dee crossings
Victoria Bridge, Torry

The River Dee is crossed by a number of bridges, from east to west:

Maryculter Bridge links the North and South Deeside roads near the village of Maryculter close to the boundary of the council area, the bridge is earmarked for expansion as part of the proposed Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route to bypass the city.

Victoria Bridge was completed in 1887, following a ferry disaster in 1876 which claimed the lives of 32 people returning from a visit to the Bay of Nigg.[43] It was made possible by the 1871 channelling of the River Dee which had previously followed an unstable course to the sea. The bridge has facilities for carrying water and gas services across the river.

Queen Elizabeth II Bridge opened in 1983.

Wellington Suspension Bridge is very narrow and was designed by Captain Samuel Brown and opened in 1831 to replace the Craiglug ferry. Refurbished in 1930, the Category A listed building was closed to vehicular traffic in 1984 and to pedestrians in March 2002 due to structural concerns. However it was refurbished and re-opened as a pedestrian bridge in 2008.[44]

River Don crossings
Brig o' Balgownie

The River Don is crossed by a number of bridges, from east to west:

The Bridge of Don has five granite arches, each 75 ft (23 m) in span, and was built 1827–1832. A little to the west is the Auld Brig o' Balgownie, a picturesque single arch spanning the deep black stream, said to have been built by King Robert I, and celebrated by George Gordon Byron, 6th Baron Byron in the tenth canto of "Don Juan". It is closed to motor vehicles. The Grandholm Bridge is a private bridge, constructed for the Crombie Mills in the 1920s. Access to the bridge, other than for pedestrians and bicycles, is now controlled by an electronically activated barrier, passes for which are made available to residents of the housing development constructed on the site of the mills in 2004.

The A92 road uses Persley Bridge.

Sea
Main article: Aberdeen Harbour
Fisheries Research Vessel Scotia in Aberdeen Harbour

Aberdeen Harbour was the first publicly limited company in the United Kingdom and is today the principal commercial port in northern Scotland and an international port for general cargo, roll-on/roll-off and container traffic. The harbour also serves NorthLink Ferries, which sail to Kirkwall, Orkney and Lerwick, Shetland. The Aberdeen Maritime Museum (on Shiprow in the city centre) includes exhibitions and displays which tell the story of the harbour and its role in the economy and development of the city.

Originally, the defective harbour, with a shallow sand and gravel bar at its entrance, retarded the trade of Aberdeen, but under various acts since 1773 it was greatly deepened.

By the Aberdeen Harbour Act 1868, the River Dee near the harbour was diverted from the south at a cost of £80,000, and 90 acres (364,000 m2) of new ground, in addition to 25 acres (101,000 m2) formerly made up, were provided on the north side of the river for the Albert Basin (with a graving dock), quays and warehouses. A 1,050 ft (320 m) long concrete breakwater was constructed on the south side of the stream as a protection against south-easterly gales. On Girdleness, the southern point of the bay, a lighthouse was built in 1833.

The North Pier, built partly by John Smeaton 1775–81, and partly by Thomas Telford 1810–15, extends nearly 3,000 ft (1000 m) into the North Sea and raised the bar.

Victoria Dock, named in honour of the queen's visit to the city in that year, is a wet dock of 29 acres (117,000 m2) and with 6,000 ft (1,800 m) of quay, was completed in 1848

Upper Dock adjoins Victoria Dock.

Ferry services to the Northern Isles

NorthLink Ferries provides daily vehicle and foot-passenger service to Lerwick, Shetland, and regular service to Kirkwall, Orkney. On this route it operates two vessels, Hjaltland and Hrossey. These services arrive and depart at the ferry terminal which can be accessed off Market Street. The vessel can usually be clearly seen from the street when docked.

Trams
Main article: Aberdeen Corporation Tramways

The last tram ran on 3 May 1958. All but one were then scrapped; the last is on display in the Grampian Transport Museum at Alford, Aberdeenshire.

Future

A bypass to the Haudagain roundabout is currently under construction. A new dual carriageway, the Berryden Corridor, is currently planned to be built within the city.[45]

A project called Aberdeen Rapid Transit (ART) has been discussed. Although it has been described as "tram like", the system is expected to use buses.[46] In 2021, the scheme was successful in bidding for Transport Scotland's Bus Partnership Fund, and received £12 million of funding.[47]

See also

References
  1. "Dyce has become home to the busiest heliport in the world". Aberdeen Journals. Retrieved 8 February 2013.
  2. http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1361692 High bus fares prompt call for inquiry into monopoly
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 14 May 2012.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) Bus firm 'forced' to increase fares
  4. Wyllie, James (17 October 2018). "First Aberdeen to scrap three night bus routes by end of the month". Press and Journal. Archived from the original on 15 May 2021. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  5. Wyllie, James. "First Aberdeen to scrap three night bus routes by end of the month". Press and Journal. Retrieved 25 February 2022.
  6. Glen, Louise. "Transport is 'essential' to bolster night time economy in Aberdeen". Press and Journal. Retrieved 29 April 2022.
  7. "Aberdeen City public transport guide" (PDF). Archived (PDF) from the original on 2 May 2021. Retrieved 2 May 2021.
  8. "Bridges Buses At Peak Times?". Evening Express. 11 June 1956. p. 7. The Bridges tram-to-bus switch will not take place until 1959
  9. "City bus trip back in time". Press and Journal. 22 November 1996. p. 6. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  10. "1963-64 bus timetable routes 20 and 21". Aberdeen Corporation Transport. Retrieved 1 March 2022.
  11. Morrison, Dawn. "Bus firm deploys new vehicles in greener transport drive". Press and Journal. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  12. Petrie, Calum (27 August 2019). "First Aberdeen slammed for proposed axing of busy city route". Press and Journal. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  13. Cameron, Annette (24 August 2019). "First Aberdeen announces proposed changes to routes across city". Evening Express. Archived from the original on 20 September 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  14. Walker, David (28 September 2020). "Aberdeen University shuttle bus suspended until next year". Press and Journal. Archived from the original on 27 February 2022. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
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  19. "The Northern Lights hit Aberdeen's roads". CBW. 9 July 2013. Retrieved 5 March 2022.
  20. McGinley, Ashleigh (15 November 2013). "First Aberdeen launches new 'Platinum' bus service". Daily Record. Archived from the original on 2 July 2018. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
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  24. "Buses". Evening Express. 2 April 1981. p. 17. Retrieved 27 February 2022.
  25. "Bus service". Press and Journal. 2 January 1998. p. 3. Retrieved 27 February 2022. GRAMPIAN Transport is to run a special service on its No 20 bus route tomorrow. The first bus from Marischal College to Hillhead of Seaton
  26. "First bus map" (PDF). p. 1.
  27. "1963-64 bus timetable routes 22 and 24". Aberdeen Corporation Transport. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  28. "Last journey to airport?". Ian Mollison. 28 June 2019. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
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  30. Butterworth, Annie. "Anti-social behaviour forces suspension of 'vital' Aberdeen bus service". Press and Journal. Retrieved 28 February 2022.
  31. Hempseed, Ross (12 April 2022). "Fleet of 22 electric buses delivered to Stagecoach Bluebird in Aberdeen". Press and Journal. Retrieved 13 April 2022.
  32. "HyTransit". Fuel Cell Electric Buses. 13 February 2018. Archived from the original on 21 January 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
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  34. "Exciting new Hydrogen bus exhibit for Grampian Transport Museum". www.deesidepiper.co.uk. Archived from the original on 1 February 2021. Retrieved 27 January 2021.
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