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Traffic management a priority for Offshore Europe

Special car parking and bus travel arrangements have been lined up to address the needs of commuters and visitors to Offshore Europe 2011 next week.

To accommodate the influx of visitors to Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre (AECC), people travelling to the event from the north are being encouraged to use car park 10 on Claymore Drive – a grass site with capacity for 1,000 vehicles.

Visitors travelling from the west of Aberdeen can use the Kingswells park-and-ride service, which is on the A944 beside the Kingswells roundabout. The Service 40 operates from Kingswells to Bridge of Don via the city centre and has the capacity for 900 vehicles.

All other visitors are encouraged to use the free Offshore Europe park-and-ride service, which will operate on a frequent basis during peak times from Pittodrie Football Stadium (parking capacity 750) and Beach Esplanade (900).

Variable message signs on routes leading to the venue will carry regularly updated information on the free shuttle bus service and the availability of parking space. Messages will also be broadcast advising delegates not to park on pavements and grass verges – and notices will be installed along verges throughout the site carrying the same message.

City Wardens and police officers will advise motorists not to park in restricted areas and staff on site will direct motorists to appropriate parking zones. Motorists who park illegally will be issued with a Parking Charge Notice in line with routine operational procedures.

First Aberdeen’s park-and-ride Service 40 will run on a revised route to accommodate visitors to Offshore Europe, and to the Walker Cup on Sat/Sun 10/11 September.

From Monday 05 September to Saturday 10 September all on-site car parking at the AECC will be required for Offshore Europe and the Walker Cup. Service 40 will instead operate from Ellon Road, near The Parkway. Car parking for park-and-ride passengers will be available at Seaton Park for the week, from where customers can make the short walk to King Street to catch Service 40. An additional bus stop will be provided opposite Lidl on King Street, north of St Ninian's Place.

The service will continue to operate to the same 15-minute frequency at peak times and every 20 minutes during the rest of the day.

Customers with a four-week park-and-ride season ticket will be allowed to travel on Services 1 and 2 for the duration of the week to provide a further travel option to and from the city centre.

Aberdeen City Council’s Director of Enterprise, Planning and Infrastructure Gordon McIntosh said: “Offshore Europe and the Walker Cup will see tens of thousands of visitors in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, so every measure has been taken to minimise disruption to travellers during this time by Aberdeen City Council, First Aberdeen, the AECC and Grampian Police working together.

“We hope that bus users will take advantage of the alternative parking site at Seaton Park or be able to arrange other options such as drop-offs at Ellon Road.

“Drivers are being asked to be considerate to other road users, businesses residents in the Energy Park and to those living and working within the surrounding areas.”

For more information on bus travel arrangements visit First Aberdeen website at http://www.firstgroup.com/ukbus/aberdeen/.

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