Business leaders have urged councillors to mobilise in support of the Common Sense Compromise on Aberdeen’s bus gates ahead of a key vote this morning.
Elected members will meet at 11.30am today to determine the future of city centre traffic restrictions blamed for plummeting profits at various businesses.
They could vote to make these bus gates permanent. Or the measures could be significantly tweaked.
More than 10,700 people have backed an alternative set of proposals put forward by the business community - the Common Sense Compromise:
- Keep the Guild Street bus gates, along with restrictions on Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate
- Remove the bus gates at the Adelphi and Market Street, allowing access in both directions through Market Street
- Remove the bus gates on Bridge Street, allowing full access in both directions
- Remove the right turn ban on Union Terrace
- Issue a warning rather than a fine to first offenders
- Use fines to help city centre businesses via transport initiatives
At a behind-closed-doors talks between prominent campaigners and top council officials yesterday, the team were given some hope, as they learned that there would be no legal barrier to voting through the compromise measures.
Our Union Street chairman Bob Keiller, who has helped steer the campaign alongside the Press & Journal, Aberdeen Inspired and Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, emailed every elected member last night with a plea for them to listen to the people.
He stressed that the only thing now keeping the gates in place is “political will”, and it will be up to local politicians to pave the way forward.
His email states: “Further to our meeting with the administration, we again urge you to adopt the Compromise.
“From our discussions this afternoon, it is now clear that there is no legal obstacle to adopting the proposal; it simply requires the political will.
“To be clear, status quo will result in footfall further dwindling and businesses closing. We need significant change, and we need it quickly.”
The email adds that the “only acceptable alternative” to voting through the alternate measures would be a firm commitment to look into them – with no time wasted.
It continues: “The only acceptable alternative – alongside any temporary changes – is to instruct council officers to assess the feasibility of implementing the compromise, in full, and to do this study by the August meeting, followed by a conclusive vote which brings an end to the uncertainty.
“Once again, I directly ask for your help to create the conditions we need to achieve our shared ambition of a thriving city centre.”
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