New experimental rules banning private vehicles from key roads in Aberdeen city centre are to be rolled out early next year - without the public having a say.
The Press and Journal says today that council officials have mapped out bus priority routes in Market Street, Guild Street and Bridge Street.
City traders are worried about the planned upheaval, which could be in place for a full 18 months while roads experts test it out.
The experimental traffic regulation order (ETRO) is planned to come into force "in the new year".
And it will affect other areas of the city centre too.
It would bring about a long-spoken-about ban on private vehicles turning right from Union Terrace into Rosemount Viaduct.
There, the road has already been repainted to do away with the right-turn lane, as part of the Union Terrace Gardens revamp.
And it would formally pedestrianise Schoolhill, between Back Wynd and Flourmill Lane, and Belmont Street during the day.
Upperkirkgate, Flourmill Lane and Netherkirkgate are also to be marked as local access only.
The P&J has revealed - now that a select few organisations have had their say - that Aberdeen City Council plans to carry out the roads experiment with no further public consultation.
A council spokeswoman said: "Public engagement will commence once the scheme has been brought into operation."