Conservative and Labour councillors will unite in effort to end the bus gates nightmare for Aberdeen businesses by backing the Common Sense Compromise put forward by city centre traders.
Aberdeen City Council's SNP and Lib Dem administration look set to make all of the bus gates permanent today, despite almost 12,000 people signing a petition demanding changes to the scheme.
A report going before city councillors this afternoon recommends that the temporary order which was used to bring in the traffic measures be made permanent.
More than 11,000 people have backed an alternative set of proposals put forward by the business community - the Common Sense Compromise.
They were:
- 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
In his report to councillors, city planning chief David Dunne says traffic modelling done by the council shows that the measures can not be further amended without impacting bus times.
Shift the narrative
Writing in the Press & Journal this morning, Bob Keiller, chairman of both Our Union Street and Aberdeen & Grampian Chamber of Commerce, urged councillors to end the suffering endured by city centre traders "and everyone who cares about our city centre".
"From the clumsy communication and confusing signage, through to the gaslighting of legitimate public and business concerns, the roll-out of these traffic measures has been an unmitigated disaster," he said.
He added: "My plea to councillors is this; adopt the Common Sense Compromise and work with businesses to bring people back into our city centre.
"Accept that removing some of the bus gates will have a limited impact on some bus services at busier times – but that is a compromise worth making.
"We need an outcome that shifts the narrative and gives people the comfort they need to return to our city centre."
Opposition parties put differences aside
Labour and Conservative opposition councillors will join forces today in an unusual display of unity.
Conservative councillor Ryan Houghton said: “We have to get this right. It is not good enough to simply look for reasons to do nothing. Aberdeen deserves better.”
Labour group leader M Tauqeer Malik said: “This is about the opposition coming together to see if the administration can finally see the damage they are doing to business.”
Aberdeen Inspired chief executive Adrian Watson warned that cementing the bus gates would be “a hammer blow to city centre businesses who have already made it clear they are fighting for their survival”.
Click here to read more in today's Press & Journal.