Kemnay Academy bus park plans unveiled

Work to create a much needed bus park adjacent to Kemnay Academy have seen full plans unveiled this week.

The first stage of long-awaited upgrades at Kemnay Academy were approved by councillors at the Garioch Area Committee back in February when councillors approved the procurement plans for a 16-bay bus park on Bremner Way, serving the Academy.

With a school roll over over 950, Kemnay Academy has 70 per cent of its pupils using some form of school transport, the second highest in Aberdeenshire.

Currently buses are having to use limited layby space on Bremner Way but due to a significant increase in bus pupils since these laybys were formed there is not enough space for all vehicles.

Operational and safety challenges have been reported by school staff, parents and pupils of Kemnay Academy.

Some revision of the plans from the initial procurement have seen the capacity caped at 12 large bus spaces.

This has been designed in a way that will ensure pupils can access and exit their school transport with minimal interface with other moving vehicles.

This will make a marked improved on the current set up whereby some buses can access layby parking but non-school transport pupils must try and negotiate their way through and past these vehicles.

Whilst there will be a reduction in green space, there will be a landscaping plan which will ensure the introduction of appropriate planting and shrubbery to improve the quality of the remaining area.

West Garioch councillor and former Kemnay Academy pupil, Sam Payne, said: “The majority of pupils at Kemnay Academy arrive by bus, which poses challenges on Bremner Way, however this bus park is a clear solution to solve the problem.”

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