Former Aberdeen City Council co-leader Alex Nicoll has launched a scathing attack on the city’s controversial bus gate measures, calling them “incomprehensibly stupid” in an interview with The Times.
Nicoll, who quit the SNP last year over the issue, has been a vocal critic of the traffic restrictions implemented in Aberdeen’s city centre.
The bus gates, which were made permanent in October 2024 after months of debate, have been a source of significant controversy in Aberdeen.
Nicoll’s outburst comes as the latest development in an ongoing saga that has pitted city officials against local businesses and residents.
Speaking to The Times, Mr Nicoll said: “Businesses in Aberdeen are in dire straits and we need to get our act together.
“Restricting access to our city centre is incomprehensibly stupid. We have taken a number of decisions that have been very unpopular with the public and have simply not listened to what they have to say. It has been a shambles and, sadly, things are continuing on a downward spiral.”
He went on: “Union Street is rapidly becoming a ghost town. People used to see it as a glorious silver mile of granite buildings but they are now, very often , seeing it as shabby.
“We need to be telling the world to invest in Aberdeen and its highly skilled, highly educated people. Instead, we’re bogged down in the minutiae of traffic arrangements. It’s unbelievably frustrating.”
Nicoll’s criticism extends beyond the bus gates themselves to the decision-making process.
“Officers don’t make these decisions on their own,” he said. “This is very much a case of partnership leaders pushing the gates through because the bus companies wanted this, and not compromising with businesses.”
The former council leader has called for an independent investigation into the matter, suggesting that the council’s audit, risk, and scrutiny committee should examine the process closely.
Nicoll also suggested that fellow councillors had privately expressed concerns about the policies being followed by their leaders.
He said: “There is substantial discontent. Watch this space.”
Countering this outburst, council spokeswoman told The Times: “Independent data from HUQ Signals shows that footfall in Aberdeen city centre grew by 3.6% in 2024, in comparison to 2023, and Aberdeen continues to outperform the Scottish and UK national averages.
“Union Street at the heart of the city centre has seen occupancy levels rise, recently achieving pre-covid levels.”
The controversy has sparked wider debate about the future of Aberdeen’s city centre, with businesses reporting significant drops in footfall and revenue since the implementation of the bus gates.
As the debate continues, recent claims have emerged suggesting that the entire bus gate system may be invalid due to procedural errors, potentially leading to the refunding of thousands of fines.
This latest development adds another layer of complexity to an already contentious issue.
