Glenlyon & Loch Tay Community Council
Nurse’s Cottage: Bridge of Balgie: Aberfeldy: PH15 2PP
mail@glenlyonandlochtaycc.org.uk web: glenlyonandlochtaycc.org.uk DRAFT Minutes of meeting on July 14th. 2022, at 7p.m via Zoom.
Present: S. Dolan-Betney (SDB Chair), S. Dorey (SD Secretary), June Riddell (JR Treasurer), E. Melrose (EM), J. Polakowska (JP), Cllr. J. Duff, A. Hobson, (speaker) and 8 members of the public.
Apologies: W. Graham, P. Karas, Cllrs. McDade & Williamson
1.Minutes of last meeting on May 12th. 2022: Adoption proposed by SD, seconded by JP – no objections.
2.Finance – JR reported a current acc. balance of £ 379.33. Funds have been raised and a battery for defibrillator purchased.
3.Community Council Elections -due to take place on November 3rd.2022. Nomination papers will be available from PKC from August 24th. to be returned by September 22nd.
4.Police Report: Commander’s Bulletin reminder of safety for swimmers in lochs and rivers.
5.Aberfeldy Development Trust – SDB welcomed A. Hobson – the Steering-Group has now become an Incorporated Company Limited by Guarantee and is aiming at charitable status. The focus is affordable housing. Target groups are 1. People who want to come back to Aberfeldy; 2. Key workers; 3. Young people. Community communication and funding are major tasks. A survey is to go out in the next 2 weeks and a website is imminent.
6.Roads: (i) Closures – none at present
(ii)Glenlyon School Speeding – SD report that the recently installed Pop-Up Policemen had been stolen – not the chains and padlocks. Police were informed. After consultation with residents the preference for speedbumps / cushions as opposed to flashing warning lights has been passed to PKC.SDB reported that Roddy Ross has given assurance that Wardens will now patrol every weekend; It has been confirmed that the Glenlyon Clearway had been made permanent. Arek to
consider more signage.
(iii)Fearnan: Speeding – Pop-Up Policemen have been deployed on the A827 at the east and west ends of the village. SDB attended a meeting on June 3rd. in the Old School House organised by its owner, Archie Mclean, and Bill Davidson from the east end of the village, to address the problem of speeding on the A827 through the village. Also present: John Swinney MSP and assistant, Roddy Ross Safer Communities Team, Cllr. M Williamson, David McArthur Safer Com. Facilitator, Pat Spicer HAP Road Safety Group secretary. Following the meeting D. McArthur provided a detailed audit – see addendum to minutes.
(iv)Fortingall – R. Wilson contacted CC to report ignoring of speed limits in Fortingall and consequent speeding through the village.CC to pass to PKC.
(v)J. Penfold asked CC to chase up promised Data Strips for the C449, Fearnan north end. JP made the same request for Garth and SD for Glenlyon. To be followed-up.
7.Fortingall: Notice Board – no progress reported.
8.Phone Boxes: SDB reported the Fortingall box; SD reported Bridge of Balgie and Invervar . BT number for reporting boxes: 0800661610. Engineers were seen attending to Invervar box;JR to check boxes before next meeting.
9.Highland Action Partnership: EM reported Chair has resigned and some members have left. Extraordinary General Meeting scheduled for August 16th.
(i)Road Safety Group: Meeting in early June in Aberfeldy attended by link by Cat Gordon & Gillian Reeve, Community learning workers -Highland Perthshire & Strathtay Cultural & Community Services. Group re-named Safer Highland Perthshire now has a wider remit – includes road safety/maintenance/cycle ways & footpaths/E.vehicle charging points including bikes, drug abuse. Proposal to meet with Police re. enforcement of speeding; possibility of free-standing speed cameras; importance of reporting road damage and non- serious accidents; map out existing footpaths and cycle ways and fill in gaps – our area appears to be something of a ‘black hole’; map out existing charging points – maps already exist but charging point may be occupied or not working.
10.Planning: SD read current list of applications and decisions.
Kenmore & District CC had a meeting with Peter Marshall, Planning & Housing Strategy Manager Planning Development and two other representatives from Planning to discuss its Local Development Plan. SDB attended on behalf of CC followed by brief visit to Tigh na Loan, Fearnan.PM interested in potential development sites – Stephens of Perth field and the site of the old quarry in Quarry Road were mentioned.
11.Fearnan Bus Shelter: JD reported Transport Unit consider suggested site inappropriate and no finding for bus shelters.
12.Aberfeldy Healthiest Town: PK unable to attend meeting but provided report: see addendum.
13.Perthshire Nature Connection Partnership: looking at important landscape changes, supporting biodiversity and addressing climate change. Seeking new partners from businesses, communities, and land-managers. .https://www.pkct.org/pncp-executive-summary
Of particular interest is the PNCP ambition to join the Lomond and Trossachs and Cairngorm National Parks. Meeting arranged in Kenmore on August 11th. with David Tollick Conservation Officer, P&K Countryside Trust to discuss.
14.Japanese Knotweed: June 20th. meeting with Mark Purrmann -Charles – Project Officer Esk and Tay rivers, initiated by R. Grant, organised by CC for, mainly, Fearnan property owners with a view to eradicating the weed from Fearnan. Interesting and informative meeting well attended – 4 people have volunteered to take the City & Guild’s course on knot weed eradication.
15.Kenmore Shop & PO etc.: Breadalbane development Trust met with lead officer from Post Office network. A stand-alone PO is not an option. It needs a retail outlet for support. Present owner unwilling to sell shop to community or to anyone else if it will include a PO. P. Ely would welcome suggestions of how to proceed.
Taymouth Castle: SDB attended site meeting with representatives from Kenmore and Aberfeldy CCs, M. Fraser MSP, Provost McDade, G. Laing, Leader PKC, and members of the Press, for conducted tour of west wing by Discovery Land Co. (DLC) representatives – I. Connolly Project Manager, D. Hinton Security Director, E. Strickland architect, J. O’Leary, Managing Director,
Represent Communications Co. All questions were readily answered during the tour and at teatime afterwards in the Kenmore Hotel.
In particular, property bought for staff accommodation has all been buy-let thus not depriving the local housing market. DLC have bought Glenlyon Estate and will keep it just as it is for private use by main investors and for Castle guests in the future.
For details of the project please see https://www.pkct.org/pncp-executive-summary
If you have questions, please contact DLC directly via the same web address. 16.Correspondence: JP read the list:
Scottish Census Survey
Electoral Registration 2022
Bus Alliance Survey- from Heartland FM -ask
Tayside Bus Alliance Study
Glass Recycling ‘Selfie’ Competition
Aberfeldy Information Centre
Digital Participation Consultation
Passivhaus Bill Consultation
AOCB: Cllr. Williamson’s postponed meeting with the Scot.Gov.tourist minister Mr. McKee will take place on July 15th. in Kenmore – SDB to attend.
….and finally, Cllr. Duff announced the good news – The Timber Transport Group has awarded £389,128 to PKC for specific road improvements to the C448 in Glenlyon. Improvements: 24 new passing places, localised road strengthening and resurfacing along with drainage improvements.
Next meeting September 8th. 2022 at 7pm by Zoom.
Addendum
Item 5.(iii) ROAD SAFETY PARTNERSHIP COMMUNITY LED ROAD SAFETY AUDIT FEARNAN INTRODUCTION
Fearnan is the largest settlement between Kenmore and Killin.
The residents of Fearnan note several issues currently in existence from the perceived increased traffic passing through the village such as –
• Dangerous levels of speeding vehicles through the village
• Lack of respect drivers have for pedestrians
• Lack of suitable parking for visitors
• Lack of crossing facilities
• Poor sightlines caused by roadside foliage
ASSESSMENT
Visitor attractions such as Boreland Farm and the upcoming Dalerb refurbishment will likely increase visitor demand and see increased traffic flow through the village. Scottish Crannog Centre to ‘rise from the ashes’ after devastating blaze (thecourier.co.uk).
There is a new housing development underway in Fearnan as well as an increase in holiday lets, which will lead to an increase in traffic.
The residents of Fearnan note an increase of traffic due to the introduction of Heart 200. This is a 200-mile route which passes through Fearnan and has brought additional holidaymakers and campers to the village. A review of social media reveals several negative comments about the impact of Heart 200.
Heart 200 – Heart 200 – 200 miles around the Heart of Scotland
These developments could be used as the catalyst to improve traffic and visitor provision and promote the uniqueness of Fearnan. Scottish Government are encouraging people to visit Scotland and its highlands, but it would seem Fearnan (and other towns and villages throughout the Council area) are unable to cope with the demand in terms of parking spaces, speeding, dangerous driving, volume of traffic etc.
There is a possibility that drivers are unaware they are entering/exiting Fearnan due to lack of signage along the main route through the village and the lack of a clear village centre to reduce the speed of traffic naturally.
Fearnan benefits from having foliage which runs the length of the main road however this is also responsible for limiting visibility of existing signage and general sightlines through corners and verges.
There is currently one Vehicle Activated Speed Sign. (VASS)
Fearnan has no formal pedestrian crossings and limited pavements. The only pavement is in front of the new developments near the entrance to the village meaning pedestrians must use the road. A crossing could provide a safe way for pedestrians to cross the road whilst also offering the advantage of slowing vehicles down upon approach.
Tight junctions and driveways and poor sightlines on to the main road may create further hazards.
As it stands, there is nothing to naturally slow the traffic along the main road and over the years residents have noticed an increase in traffic and speeds.
There have been no serious road collisions, we are aware of, however the accident statistics only measure those collisions reported to the Police and does not consider near misses or how safe people feel.
The residents of Fearnan provide first-hand accounts of speeding vehicles, dangers to pedestrians, and report on potential collisions and the feel the environment is unsafe.
Fearnan is not a priority for Police speed enforcement.
CONSIDERATIONS
Increased/clearer/larger signage could be helpful at both ends of the village and larger repeater signs throughout to remind people travelling through the village that they are entering, still within the village, and then exiting.
Trimming back foliage to improve visibility whilst maintaining its natural look.
A working VASS sign at either end of the village to remind drivers of their speeds may be useful.
There is also the potential of including a speed activation camera to any pedestrian crossing which would change to red if a car approached in excess of the speed limit.
Residents could explore the possibility of installing traffic mirrors to view approaching vehicles travelling from each direction to allow a safer exit onto the main road from areas of low visibility.
Residents believe speed bumps throughout the village would help however these come with issues of noise pollution, revving of motors causing poorer air quality and damage to the surface of the road which could lead to conflict in the community and ongoing maintenance costs.
Another option for physical calming measures could be to build islands on each side of the road to narrow the route. Residents have mentioned the possibility of implementing a give-way system like the one currently in place when entering/leaving Cupar. This would provide a physical restriction to slow vehicles and make it clear they are entering a village.
A technical survey and a public consultation would be required before any engineering options can be implemented
Residents feel that enforcement and a more visible police presence would cause those travelling to be more aware of their speed and be more courteous to residents and pedestrians. The Safety Camera Unit could be asked to visit the site however that may only be once and the SCU normally operate in areas where there are high reports of collisions.
ACTIVE TRAVEL/CYCLING
Fearnan attracts an increasing number of cyclists due to the route; Fearnan – Bridge of Balgie – Invervar – Fearnan. This is a 31-mile route which attracts both locals and tourists to the areas with the Summer season seeing the highest amounts of visitors. Couple the addition of cyclists to the already existing road issues mentioned above and there is cause for concern. With the Scottish Government promoting active and sustainable travel, we can assume there will be an increase in cyclists and other methods of active travel.
There are several walking routes in Fearnan and surrounding areas. These are increasingly popular with hillwalkers and ramblers whose only option currently, is to drive to their starting point due to the lack of any alternative public transport.
Alternatives might include a shuttle bus or perhaps publicly accessible e-bike charges and secure storage. ACTIONS
Roads North Area Manager to assess the village as a future deployment for Safety Camera Partnership. Establish if any data has been gathered in relation to Heart 200.
Establish if there has been any speed data gathered in Fearnan or adjacent.
Establish if there has been any traffic volume data gathered anywhere on the A827.
Check if Stirling Council hold any data on traffic flows and speed.
Consult with Police on enforcement capacity for Highland Perthshire generally and Fearnan in particular. Carry-out a survey on entrance and exit to the village and identify options for Improvement. Establish procedure for creating a pedestrian crossing in Fearnan.
Establish a procedure for procuring an additional VASS and identify funding.
David McArthur
Road Safety and Sustainable Transport Co-ordinator
17.06. 2022
Item 12. Aberfeldy Healthiest Town
* Move More
* Eat Real Food
* Connect with others
* Find Balance (including emotional resilience)
* So neither too much nor too little of most things
There were some short talks followed by an informal networking and discussion session. The attendees put forwards many ideas which were recorded and are being analysed by the Healthiest Town core team. Current initiatives include –
* Working with the coop and other local firms to promote healthy eating * Development of an Aberfeldy fitness trail and Park Run around the back nine.
* Creating a website and maintaining (https://www.healthiesttown.org) * Creating a WhatsApp group which many of the attendees joined on the night.
Some of the attendees are working with the core team to plan further initiatives which will be announced in the coming months. They are always open to ideas – particularly any that improve the health and wellbeing of the less privileged in our community.
13/07/22