Share Space Project - Rural Walking and Cycling Routes

What you told us

The Share Space project was introduced as a trial to make selected rural roads more welcoming for people walking, cycling, wheeling and horse riding, while encouraging all road users to share the space safely. The survey asked for feedback on the trial and its signage to help us understand its impact and inform what happens next.

Overall, you were very supportive of the Share Space project and its aim of making rural roads safer and more welcoming for everyone, while encouraging walking, cycling, wheeling and horse riding.

Most respondents felt the project was useful and supported making it permanent, as well as introducing similar schemes elsewhere in Aberdeenshire.

Feedback on the signs was also generally positive. Most respondents felt they clearly communicated the intended message, were an appropriate size and appeared often enough along the routes. Many drivers told us the signs had influenced how they drive. However, people using the routes in other ways had generally not noticed a significant change in driver behaviour.

You also told us that awareness of the project could be improved. Most respondents had not heard about the project or the new signs before taking part in the survey, and awareness of the individual routes was generally limited, with the Polinar Dam route in Inverurie being the best known. Respondents were also unsure whether the signs gave people walking, cycling, wheeling or horse riding greater confidence to use the road space.

What we’re doing

Your feedback suggests there is strong support for the Share Space approach, while also highlighting areas where more work could be done.

We’ll use the findings to consider how awareness of the project and its signage can be improved, including through communications and engagement with local communities. Further monitoring will also help us understand whether changes in driver behaviour become more noticeable to other road users.

The findings will help inform decisions about the future of the existing trial and whether similar approaches could be considered for other suitable rural routes across Aberdeenshire.