Council’s controversial Bus Gate decision sparks outrage

14/10/2024

ABERDEEN City Council has voted to make the controversial bus gates in the city centre a permanent fixture, igniting a fierce backlash from the local business community. The decision, which came after months of delays and heated debate, has solidified the future of the bus priority routes introduced as part of the City Centre Masterplan.

The council’s vote to make the bus gates permanent marks the end of a prolonged period of uncertainty. The scheme, which includes bus priority routes on Union Street, Market Street, Guild Street, and Bridge Street, aims to reduce travel times for buses and encourage more sustainable and active travel in the city centre.

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The decision has been met with fury from local businesses, who have long opposed the scheme. Many argue that the bus gates have negatively impacted their operations by:

  • Reducing customer access to shops and services
  • Complicating deliveries and logistics
  • Potentially decreasing foot traffic in key commercial areas

Business owners claim that the permanent implementation of bus gates will further harm the already struggling city centre economy, particularly in the wake of recent challenges faced by retailers and hospitality venues.

The permanent bus gates will continue to restrict general traffic on several key routes:

  • Union Street/Market Street (between Hadden St and the Adelphi)
  • The east side of Guild Street
  • Bridge Street (between Wapping Street and Windmill Brae)

These restrictions are in effect 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with exceptions made for buses, taxis, bicycles, and in some cases, goods vehicles.

Proponents of the scheme, including council members who voted in favour, argue that the bus gates will:

  • Improve public transport efficiency
  • Reduce congestion in the city centre
  • Promote more environmentally friendly travel options

Hundreds of objections had been filed ahead of last Friday’s crucial vote on its future. Many business owners claim that their takings have plummeted since the implementation of the bus gates. The scheme, designed to prioritise public transport in the city centre, has been accused of deterring visitors and potential customers from accessing the area.

Aberdeen City Council has come under fire for allegedly failing to conduct specific research on the potential impact of bus gates on local businesses. This oversight has led to accusations that the council did not adequately consider the economic consequences of the scheme before its implementation.

Businesses argue that the bus gates are making it difficult for people to visit the city centre, particularly those from outside Aberdeen. There are concerns that this reduced accessibility could force many local businesses to close if not addressed.

Adrian Watson, chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, commented:

“The overwhelming view of our businesses and the public alike is that the city council has not got this right.”  

“This is a decision that flies in the face of desperate pleas from struggling city centre businesses and a call from almost 12,000 members of the public to find a Common Sense Compromise.

It leaves unresolved so many issues that businesses and the public want answered regarding access as well as plummeting footfall and spend. 

Without that impact assessment and without resolving those issues, the council is driving blindly along a road without any clear idea of where it will end up. 

One small crumb of comfort is the council’s commitment to a night bus service – something Aberdeen Inspired has long championed. But that is a very small crumb for businesses who fear for their survival.” 

Scottish Conservative North East MSP Liam Kerr, who has campaigned against the bus gates, said: “This deplorable decision marks a dark day for Aberdeen city centre.

“The vote was a chance to show Aberdeen is open for businesses and that there is light at the end of the tunnel for suffering city centre traders.

“Instead, SNP and Lib Dem councillors have shut the door on Aberdeen’s business community, who are being starved of the footfall needed to survive by these ludicrous measures.

“Aberdeen should be a welcoming and inclusive city but banning vehicles with bus gates and LEZ zones just diverts congestion to other routes which are already gridlocked.

“I fully support the Common Sense Compromise put forward by businesses and will continue to call for these draconian measures to be eased to give people the comfort they need to return to our city centre.”

Business leaders emphasised that traders don’t have the luxury of time to wait for more feasibility studies. They wanted immediate action rather than promises of future reports. Watson called for any new studies to be expedited as quickly as possible and for “full and meaningful engagement” to take place with businesses and business organisations as a matter of urgency.

In light of the council’s decision, business chiefs have hinted at a possible court challenge, inspired by the success of a similar fight in Inverness. This suggests that some business leaders are considering taking legal action against the bus gate scheme. The overall sentiment from local business leaders is one of frustration and concern about the future viability of businesses in Aberdeen’s city centre, with many feeling that their objections and struggles have been ignored by the city council.

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