Members of the community have committed thousands of pounds to back a legal challenge against the bus gates in Aberdeen’s City Centre.
Longtime trader Norman Esslemont aims to gather £35,000 to support a possible courtroom fight against the traffic regulations, which a former member of the SNP-Lib Dem coalition that established them has labeled “incomprehensibly stupid.”
So far, over £7,000 has been pledged by community members who are supporting a legal initiative spearheaded by the prominent law firm Burness Paull.
Mr. Esslemont has enlisted Alasdair Sutherland, the same attorney who previously challenged Highland Council’s plans to implement similar traffic restrictions in Inverness.
After assessing the Aberdeen situation, Mr. Sutherland stated that the issue is “challengeable in court” and cautioned council members about the ramifications of their choices.
In his campaign statement, Mr Esslemont writes: “This is not just a fight for local businesses, it’s about ensuring the city centre remains accessible and welcoming for everyone.
“We need to send a strong message to the council that they must listen to the thousands of people in Aberdeen and the surrounding areas who are negatively affected by the bus gates. Together, we can reclaim the city centre we once loved.”
The funds collected will be utilised to investigate further into the specifics surrounding the decision to make the bus gates permanent, aiming to strengthen the case as much as possible.
This might involve commissioning additional studies on the economic and traffic repercussions of the proposed regulations.
The ruling group of the council has refused to back down and voted to maintain the bus gates, with their legal advisers asserting that “they have followed the processes lawfully.”
SNP dissident Alex Nicoll, who once led the party but later stepped down over the bus gates, argues that limiting access to the city centre is “incomprehensibly stupid.”
However, his successor, Christian Allard, remarked that people should “look at the bigger picture” and that he is prepared to face judgment for his actions in the local elections of 2027.
It has since emerged that Allard may be planning to run as an MSP in the 2026 Scottish Parliament elections.
