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Opinion and Comment
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KINGSWELLS
PASSENGER UNHAPPY WITH BUS DRIVERS: It also appears that the procedures on the Park & ride are causing a problem. I'll explain: We get the P&R every morning. On Mon& Tue I come home early to collect our daughter. My wife takes a later bus from the Bridge of Don - the 41 which comes through the village. They say that she cannot stay on the bus and must get off at the Kingswells terminal, walk round the corner and get the 14 to complete her journey. This is despite the entitlement to an onward journey. However she is already on a bus which goes past our road end.They say it is procedures, but it is absolute nonsense. There will be other people in Kingswells who return home at different times who will be affected by this if Firstbus push it. I have called them and intend to pursue the matter throught our councillor/community council and the press if necessary. We shouldnt tolerate this any longer. Ross Macdonald (Posted 23.7.2004) | ||||||||||
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KINGSWELLS DEPARTURE HEARING - 27 JUNE 2002 (regarding the Proposed Football Stadium) A Mr Rory Taylor, introduced as a resident of Kingswells, indicated that there were no interest or leisure facilities for children in Kingswells and surrounding area. To assist him, and any other new resident who has not yet enquired what is going on locally, we provide the following suggestions. 1. Community Centre - the Centre is fully utilised and incorporates the following activities:
2. Kingswells Primary School extra curricular activities include :
3 New Football Facilities (just opening). At lower Derbeth Grange end of the village includes.
4. Swimming Pools -
Each of above provide coaching and swimming lessons within easy access of Kingswells 5 Golf Courses -
all within minutes of Kingswells 6. Childrens' mini Play Areas: There are numerous such playgrounds providing a variety of play park facilities. Within the design brief for Kingswells they are interlinked with pathways to avoid children crossing roads. 7. The old Village Hall: - situated directly opposite to where the proposed new Bridge would bypass the Village Church. This hall caters for:
8. Kingswells Church/Hall has all the usual church activities including for the young
9. Other open space:
10. Skateboarding: at Kingswells Park and Ride (specific times - lower Section) 11. Youth Disco: Hotsteppers Disco at Ashdale Hall Westhill every Friday 12. Other nearby Cults Facilities include:
(Posted 30.6.2002) | ||||||||||
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Date: Saturday,
June 8, 2002 8:47 pm Eventually I dropped by to visit the outwardly plausible editor, Mark Cullen. He told me that he had received no prizes from Northsound and had simply been too busy to return my calls on the matter. The next day I contacted Northsound DJ Martin Ingram by e-mail who confirmed that he had supplied the prizes along with the quiz questions to Cullen some time ago. He was gobsmacked that Cullen had "obviously just kept the prize or found other uses for it". Sadly though predictably, Cullen did not respond in any way to Northsoundâs further requests to honestly administer the pop quiz. Martin Ingram eventually stepped in to organise another Northsound Goodybagâ prize for Grant (assorted CDs, videos and T shirts) and we all walked away a little bit wiser about human nature. Forget the sickly moralistic editorial policy inside the front cover, this friendly local rag would apparently steal the sweets out of your kids mouths. I sincerely hope that Mr Cullen doesn't represent the true "Voice of Kingswells" Would be interested
to hear from anyone else who entered the "pop
swiz"or who has kept a copy of that Kingswells News
edition from last year. I can at least give you the
long awaited correct answers! | ||||||||||
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Date: Thu, 11 Apr 2002
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Date: Thu, 11
Apr 2002 14:18:39 +0100 About 2 years ago I was forced, for my own sanity and my allergy to prisons, to move away from my home near the shops by the quite incredible events I was able to witness from my window. Night after night these youths, who live in Kingswells, smacked their football against walls, windows and roofs, played music at ridiculous volumes from their cars with the doors wide open, swore loudly and generally behaved as youths will if left unchallenged. I once also witnessed one of these youths, who can still be regularly seen in Kingswells, taking an air rifle out of his car and taking potshots at the shop. Look at the sign above Allday's door for proof. The thing that really sticks in my throat is that if the parents of these youths had to suffer the same breach of the peace outside their homes night after night they would be the first to complain. I can only assume that yet more Kingswells hypocrisy is in play here, wherein we have another example of NIMBY'ism. These parents have no interest in the activities of their offspring, as long as they are not doing it near them. I would urge some of these parents to take a drive past the shops at 1 o'clock on a fine summer Sunday's morning and see what they're children are up to, but I doubt they will....Why should they ? Their sleep isn't being interrupted... Having moved away from the shops the problem no longer affects me, but my heart goes out to the people living near the shops as the fine nights approach. Regards Andy | ||||||||||
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Date: Thu,
28 Feb 2002 17:13:37 EST When will dog owners show some consideration for the rest of the population and CLEAN UP. I would also like to report an incident involving a Jack Russell or very similar dog. A few weeks ago, my friends son was coming round to my house, at about 9pm and he was attacked and BITTEN by this savage little dog. I believe that if he had not been wearing jeans then the wounds would have been far worse. The 'lady' owner did not even ask if he was alright, or find out where he lived. His wounds healed gradually, but his new fear of dogs is still foremost in his mind. I
don't let my children run around biting strangers
or dirtying the pavement or grass verges and I
don't see why I should have to put up with this
behaviour from animals!
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From : MICHAEL FARRELL, Newpark House, Kingswells, Aberdeen, AB15 8PQ
I am writing with a suggested improvement for the #40 Kingswells Park & Ride route. There is a small but dedicated number of bus riders in the Gilla Hill/Fern Hill/Newpark area, between Aberdeen and Kingswells that would benefit greatly from the addition of a bus stop near the intersection of what I call Old and New Lang Stracht. Somewhere in the vicinity of the two new traffic lights that limit through traffic exclusively to buses. Currently one could drive in the opposite direction of town to the Kingswells Park & Ride to board the #40. In my own personal situation this would be cost effective, except for the fact that I am required to be in the office by 07:00 each morning and the first Park & Ride bus doesn't depart until 07:20. Instead I walk the additonal distance from the existing Lang Stracht route over to the Switchback bus stop on Skene Road, near the new A944 roundabout. Here I catch the #14 bus out of Kingswells or one of the Stagecoach routes, but more importantly it means that I will not have transportation at the new Park & Ride lot for the evening trip home. On the westbound, homeward journey each evening I am then limited to the Skene Road route even though the #40 passes immdiatly in front of my driveway near the above mentioned traffic signals. During the evening wait on Union Street it would appear that there is nearly a 2:1 ratio between the Park & Ride buses and the other westbound routes, including the Stagecoach line. It is very difficult to let the #40 pass by to wait an additional 10 to 15 minutes for one of the others, especially when the #40 passes direclty in front of my house on the now closed section of Lang Stracht. I have taken the #40 home occasionally and the majority of the time the bus drivers have no problem letting me off at the second westbound traffic light on "Old" Lang Stacht. Most of the time the light is red and a stop is required anyway, but I am asking for a special favor. Occasionally there is a driver who doesn't want to do this. I respect their decision, assuming that it is out of company policy to let me off at an undesignated stop. Thus I am looking at a long walk back from the Park & Ride lot. A simple solution to this would be the addition of a Bus Stop sign where the walking pavement meets the road, possibly attached to the western most of the two new traffic lights. A stop here would be a convience for the few of us in the area and an inconvinence to no one since the bus stops at the light most of the time. Other points supporting the need for this new bus stop include: - The current nearest bus stops on the #40 route are 1 mile west at the Park & Ride lot or 1.5 miles east at the Aberdeen Journals stop on Lang Stracht . It would seem that a new bus route could be accompanied by new stops. - After an evening drop off from a westbound route at the Switchback stop, the only currently available stop for people in this area. Crossing from the south side of Skene Road in rush hour traffic without a pedestrian crossing is extremely tricky. This is especially true in the winter darkness. Visability is poor looking west toward the new A944 round-about and there is nothing to create a break in traffic coming from the east, thus one is required to pick a gap in traffic and run across. Hence a safety argument could be made. Your careful consideration and eventual action on this matter would be greatly appreciated. Yours sincerely, Michael Farrell | ||||||||||
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Estate Management: Just a thought on this vexed topic. There is perhaps another solution. Of all the money paid over to factors etc. this must amount to a fair sum each year. These are profit making companies, nothing wrong with that.
To set this up there will be considerable financial support to investigate this and then to set it up. This needs to be set up by professionals and run by professionals. Let me know if there is any interest in this idea. Email: info@kingswells.com Use Estate Management in the Subject Box The reason this condition prevails as I understand it is the Stewart Milne Group would not pay the fees to the council to take over this commitment. Some £3,000 per house? Some 1000 houses? a net increased profit to SMG of some £3m? No one ever said SMG are daft. (Posted 6.12.2001) | ||||||||||
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How many people in the city have to object to schemes like this from developers? : Having read the above article in this mornings P & J , regarding development of the former gasworks adjacent to Pittodrie , I would implore the Planning Dept & Committe to reject this clearly cynical attempt to remove the option of redeveloping Pittodrie on its present site. The timing of this application , and recommended approval , seem to be very convenient , and would appear to be a clear attempt to force the hand of the city council to approve a stadium relocation , by reducing the potential options available . The very fact that an application was rejected 3 years ago indicates that the site is not suitable , and with no changes or improvements having been made to the immediate infrastructure around the area , it would appear that nothing has changed . Nothing , that is , apart from the imminent need for Stewart Milne to remove as many obstacles from his route to ' steamrollering ' the relocation of the stadium through the planning process. The proposal has attracted objections , both current and at the previous attempt , on the basis of lack of access , infrastructure , congestion and overdevelopment of the area , most of them interestingly similar objections to those being raised regarding the application for Kingswells. How many people in the city have to object to schemes like this from developers , before the City Council will put aside their self propagating , insular approach , stop hiding behind 'Planning Regulations' , and actually listen to what the citizens of Aberdeen want , rather than merely 'doffing caps' to profiteering developers....??? Regards Charlie Scott (Posted1.12.2001) | ||||||||||
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Good insight: One of your readers displayed a very good insight into Kingswells park and ride and how much it is losing money. How about this Stewart Milne is proposing to build another 200 houses (honest this is the last) in the next 12 to 18 months at an average cost of say £100,000. For every two houses he builds the third can be built for free on their profit, Stewart Milne will make £6.6 million profit in 18 months. Think about how many houses he has built in kingswells, do you think he should make anymore money building AFC stadium in kingswells and destroying our ever diminishing countryside which he is promoting in his latest Sycamore development brochure. Secondly is Len Ironside the man who gave us the park and ride to try and encourage us to use public transport supporting the stadium and it's numerous car parking serious. What does he support or whom is supporting him. In today's P & J (13.11.2001) Keith Wyness stated the objection of to date 300 residents regarding the 150 acre AFC development was the equivalent to someone complaining about an extension next door is he wise or just extremely arrogant you decide on Thursday 15 November 2001. (Posted 14.11.2001) Gillian Clark | ||||||||||
In accordance with this 'special direction ' I fail to see how any such proposal , if it's not already a done deal , with the required back-handers and brown enevelopes having already been exchanged ??? , meets the necessary requirements of the area. Will the proposed , or is that merely another way of saying not yet rubber stamped , construction meet this 'special direction' ....I doubt it , as I have never yet seen a football stadium which blends in with the surroundings ...especially fields & trees etc ... The council currently seems to be paying more attention to a few 'rogue' satellite dishes and house extensions in Kingswells , owned by the 'little people ' , rather than focussing on a slightly larger intrusion atBellfield Farm . Once again the easy option has been adopted ... heaven forbid that any of our so-called elected representatives should actually have the integrity and conviction to oppose these , and there have been several ,ludicrous schemes which only create more wealth for the greedy few at the expense of all others ...RegardsCharlie PS - Good to see that so much of the taxpayers money has been donated to build a car park for Aberedeen Football Club , sorry , park & ride ....convenient...??? (Posted 29.10.2001) | ||||||||||
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Somebody is losing £300 a day: I drive past the Park and Ride every day on my way to work, in Dyce. I suspect that three quarters of the residents of Kingswells work either in Dyce or Altens. Sadly the speedy Park and Ride does not service the two MAIN AREAS OF EMPLOYMENT in Aberdeen. Every day I do a rough profitability calculation on the park and ride, as I would like it to succeed now that it is built. To date I have worked out the following:- There are usually between 80 and 100 cars @ £2.00 per return journey. This must generate around £200 a day in revenue. If it costs £20 for the bus and driver to do one journey and First Aberdeen run 25 buses per day, then the total cost of running the bus service is £500 a day. (Please note that this is only the cost of running the service, it does not include the much larger costs of repaying the loan which allowed the council to build the infrastructure, or the overhead costs such as lighting and heating the buildings) This means that somebody is losing £300 a day, or £1,800 a week or £93,600 a year. I would like to know who is underwriting this loss? Probably us, the local ratepayers! Hence I will not be at all surprised when the council start bleating about having to increase our council tax again because they cannot manage on what they have. Can I just say? Has it ever occurred to these tax and spend (waste) authorities that we, the taxpayer, would like to keep more or our hard earned income than see it wasted in this way?Andrea Wood (Posted19.10.2001) | ||||||||||
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Guide Dogs for the Blind Coffee and Xmas card sale. A big "thank you" to everyone who came along and supported the GDBA Coffee and Christmas Card sale at the Community Centre on Saturday, 6 October. And a special "thank you" to all my helpers, sales persons, computer "wizards"and flyers "delivery crew". We made over £400, with more still coming in. Though the team were working hard, we all enjoyed ourselves, too. So big "thank you's" again, folks. By the way, a lot of you know my current Guide Dog Puppy - "Teddy" - so you might like to know that he will be leaving us at the end of October to complete his training at the Forfar Training Centre and a new puppy - "Parsley" (cross golden lab/retriever) - will be coming to stay. So watch out for him around the village! Lydia Martin (Posted 08.10.2001) | ||||||||||
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In response to "Going round the bend" by "BS" I agree that the one way system outside the shops is a bit of a mess and yes it would save a lot of confusion if we were allowed to turn left to exit the car park should you be heading in that particular direction. However it clearly states that you should turn Right and those people who turn left intentionally have no respect for the law or OTHER ROAD USERS. If you wish to cause and accident you go right ahead and ignore the road traffic signs that others expect you to obey!!! DS (Posted 27.9.2001) | ||||||||||
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RAT RUN: Having written to the council on several occasions, without reply, I think it is time for some kind of action to be taken to make Kingswells less attractive to people using it as a ratrun to avoid the traffic lights on the main bypass.I drive home from Dyce to Kingswells and live at the far end of the village. I therefore tend to notice people who are obviously using the village as a ratrun, given that there are hardly any houses left for all of them to be heading for ! The speed these people drive through the village is totally unacceptable,and I doubt they would like it if I were to drive past their homes, wherever they live, at the same speed.As an experienced driver, and competitor in motor sports, I am reasonably well qualified to estimate their speed at anything from 40-70 mph in their efforts to beat the queues of traffic at the lights. The bottom line is that they don't live in Kingswells, so they simply don't care.The only way I can see of stopping this practice is to make Fairley drive or the, I believe, un-named road connecting Fairley and the roundabout one-way, against the flow of trafficfrom Kingswells. This would completely nullify any advantage these people have by going through Kingswells. Until then I will continue to drive at 28mph in front of these people and enjoy the looks of rage I endure. Regards AndyB (Posted 3.9.2001) | ||||||||||
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STRAW POLL: These are the results of the straw poll run just for fun. Thank you to everyone who took the trouble to vote and email your wishes. The questions asked were:- 1. Are you in favour of the Gillahill Development? Yes or No 88% voted NO 2. Are you in favour of the proposed Leisure Development? Yes or No 64% voted YES 3. Will you use the Park'n'Ride? Yes or No 78% voted NO
4. If you were granted one wish to improve Kingswells, what would you wish for? Your views were varied and mixed. Here are just a few from the many responses sent to the site. Better school planning | Secondary School | No more houses | Swing Parks | Retain village country feel | Contain the size of Kingswells | Swimming Pool and Tennis Courts | No football stadium | Stop Stewart Milne gaining anymore planning permission | Larger shopping centre | Better roads infrastructure | Council to abide by Green belt | No more developments | Forward thinking to future developments | Residents to take responsibility for litter & dog fouling | More infrastructure provision | Dedicated litter patroller for Kingswells Remember you can always forward your comments to: info@kingswells.com for posting onto the comments and opinion page 5. Do you want Pittodrie (Aberdeen Football Stadium) to move to Kingswells? Yes or No This question has caused plenty of interest that I have set up a comments and opinions page just about your views on the proposed football stadium. More | ||||||||||
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HOLIDAY BUSES: Am I the only one from the village who works on a holiday Monday? I try to do my bit by taking the bus into my work in Union Street, its easier than trying to find a parking space, but then I'm scuppered every holiday Monday when it's Sunday service. Also, it's very difficult for anyone to have a Saturday job starting at 9am as the bus is either 7.50 or 8.50!! I have written to FirstGroup with my comments, but no reply. Fiona (Posted 12.7.2001) | ||||||||||
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WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON A RESIDENTS ASSOCIATION TO MANAGE OUR ESTATES: As per our Title Deeds we can hire and fire our estate mangers, if we form our own 'Residents Association'. This could also become a neibourhood watch scheme, thus a saving on home insurance premiums...... But it requires someone to run it and who has the brass neck to go around to collect the fees ??? The existing management, relies that most residents do not agree with one and another, thus they exploit this defect to the full.... One local resident wrote to the management and they duly instructed him to contact their representative, The representative explained that: The number of residents under his control will eventually increase, with all the completed developments (SMH,Barrat,Wimpey & Persimmion) being handed over... (Thus even harder for us to break away from their grasp) Residents who expressed a wish for improvements could donate more money.... Unpaid fees are recovered eventually from the residents who do pay, after an unspecified attempt to recover from defaulters.... They will not issue the names & addresses of who pay or who default.... What are your views on this subject? Email: info@Kingswells.com | ||||||||||
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ESTATE MANAGEMENT: Peverel Scotland, Management Services appointed Managing Agents/Factors or the Estate Management for Kingswells Village. Who in the Kingswells village is under this management scheme ? Do you think the annual charges represent good value for money ? From a Resident of Kingswells (Posted 7.7.2001) | ||||||||||
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SWORN AT: On Tuesday night, I was sworn at while driving my three year old daughter home through Kingswells. My crime? Driving at 30mph which, judging by the 3 or 4 ft distance between our vehicles, wasn't quite fast enough for the 'gentleman' in the white Peugeot 205. This is not the first time this has happened and I expect it won't be the last. My suggestion is this....let's wait until a child is knocked down, maimed or killed before resolving to drive at a safe speed through the village. In the meantime pay close attention to the television advert which demonstrates an avoidable accident in which a child is knocked down on a busy street by a car traveling at 35 mph. Amanda (Posted 6.7.2001) | ||||||||||
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SPOILING OUR ENVIRONMENT: Whilst agreeing with the points made by Dr Straiton we would like to draw attention to a few other issues which although not so crucial are nevertheless spoiling our environment. We find it difficult to believe that so many people are prepared to walk through the planted area in front of the shops with the result that the ground is now almost as hard as concrete giving little hope for the shrubs. People who in all other ways appear to be normal and intelligent seem to have no regard for the appearance of the centre of the village. They arrive in beautifully polished cars presumably concerned that their immediate environment is clean and tidy but then walk over the soil spoiling the area probably for ever. It is almost unbelievable! Colin Milne (Posted 6.7.2001) | ||||||||||
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If you can provide assistance or information with any of the above please contact me at: info@kingswells.com A credit will be given to anyone submitting articles and photos used on web site. Claire Burt Web mistress |
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Dear Claire, I recently received this poem via email. It is a petition which started in the USA. asking people to sign and forward to their friends and family. They are hoping to collect 5000 signatures to hand over to the president. I wondered if you would care to print this on your website!
So I love you and good-bye. From D Sinclaire (Posted 6.11.2001) |
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Useful web-sites? If so,
please email your URL to: info@kingswells.com |