Aberdeen City Council 'lost the narrative' on bus gates

Aberdeen City Council “lost the narrative” on the city centre bus gates even before they were installed, the authority’s co-leader Ian Yuill has admitted.

A decision on the future of the hugely protested roads shake-up in the city centre will be taken next month.

But it is likely to be a re-run of a battle already fought.

New bus gate cameras were put in place halting entry onto the northern end of Market Street, Guild Street and the upper part of Bridge Street.

A bus gate in Bridge Street in Aberdeen. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

The experimental traffic regulation order (Etro) also formalised the pedestrianisation of Upperkirkgate, one-way system on Schoolhill, and brought about the right turn ban out of Union Terrace onto Rosemount Viaduct.

And it’s been blamed for at least 500,000 fewer visitors to Aberdeen city centre year-on-year.

Aberdeen City Council ‘playing catch up’ on bus gate public opinion

Hundreds of people urged the council to scrap the bus gates through an official consultation.

And thousands more signed petitions calling for their removal.

Council co-leader Ian Yuill. — Council co-leader Ian Yuill said the bus gates in Aberdeen city centre were a “guddle” his Lib Dem and SNP coalition inherited from Labour and Conservative control of the council. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

Convening a meeting of the council’s transport committee, Mr Yuill confessed he “couldn’t argue” that the local authority was “playing catch up” on selling the benefits of the bus gates to the public.

“That is hugely unfortunate,” the Lib Dem said as he reminded Labour and Conservative opponents that the bus gates were an “inherited guddle” from their time in charge of the council.

Mr Yuill’s damning assessment came soon after city planning chief David Dunne had been forced to defend how the Etro was introduced.

The Press and Journal's front page from November 2022, warning of the bus gate's imminent installation. — The Press and Journal’s front page from November 2022, warning of the bus gate’s imminent installation.

The P&J uncovered the controversial experiment was to be played out on city centre streets, after a public notice was quietly shared on the local authority’s website in November 2022.

The Etro allowed the council to impose the changes before fully consulting the public – for up to 18 months before the review which is now taking place.

Public were ‘barraged’ with information ahead of bus gate installation

Mr Dunne told councillors: “I will never shy away from taking criticism about how we do or don’t do things during consultations.

Chief strategic place planning officer David Dunne. — Chief strategic place planning officer David Dunne, left. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

“I will say, in this instance, I don’t believe there’s anybody relevant to this who wasn’t aware of it; given the media and social media coverage, campaigns on the consultation run by the Chamber of Commerce, etc.

“But I fully accept that won’t get everybody. People are living their lives and aren’t sitting waiting to hear what Aberdeen City Council is doing or is consulting on.”

Roads engineer Graeme McKenzie claimed there had been a “barrage” of information before and after the Aberdeen city centre bus gate cameras were installed.

‘Narrative was lost at the beginning’

Labour councillor Kate Blake drove the very public self-reflection of those behind the change in Aberdeen city centre.

A marketing director by trade, the Kingswells, Sheddocksley and Summerhill member gave a professional assessment of the bus gates PR strategy.

“The narrative was lost at the beginning,” she judged.

“I appreciate the benefits of the bus gates was communicated but it wasn’t received by the residents of Aberdeen.

“And despite retrospective attempts to change public perception the council has not managed to turn the dial back.”

Aberdeen bus gate publicity campaigns have cost taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds

Recently, as the central stretch of Union Street closed for a £60m revamp, the council launched its own campaign promoting the Granite Mile.

“I am not convinced the underpowered ‘Open For Business’ campaign is going to achieve that either unless we are going to put really significant spend behind it,” Ms Blake added.

Union Street traders pose at the top of the high street with "city centre open for business" posters. — Union Street business owners have backed a campaign to show their doors are still open to customers. Image: Kath Flannery/DC Thomson

On top of paying for all the work to set up the new system launched in August, government quango Transport Scotland put up £20,000 to cover the cost of publicity campaigns to help with the bus gate introduction.

And PR firm Big Partnership was hurriedly hired in December to turn the tide of public opinion – months after the permanent-looking cameras were installed as part of the experimental roads overhaul.

Their fee was covered by the bus companies.

80% of public polled couldn’t take part in consultation

And yet, research of more than 1,000 people carried out by Aberdeen and Grampian of Commerce in January found 61% were not aware of the public consultation.

Another 19% knew about it but didn’t know how to take part.

Traffic at the Market Street/Guild Street junction in Aberdeen. — Traffic flow at the Market Street/Guild Street junction in Aberdeen changed significantly when “experimental” bus gates were installed. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Confronted with the figures, Mr Dunne said: “The first thing I want to do is caution on the 61%.

“I don’t know what that 61% is of (the 1,091 respondents were highlighted in the briefing document prepared for councillors).

“I don’t know who was engaged. I don’t know where that came from.”

‘Never mind the eggs, there will be no chickens left’

Despite winning the vote seven days ago, opposition councillors escalated the debate to the next full council meeting.

Backing Labour, Conservative councillor Duncan Massey used some agricultural language.

He said: “First Bus said to make an omelette you have to break some eggs – that’s rather unhelpful.

“But what the council is doing here is more akin letting foxes into the hen coop.

“Never mind the eggs, there will be no chickens left.

“The damage done to the city centre with these anti-car measures is severe.”

Will the SNP and Lib Dems chicken out of keeping almost all of the Aberdeen city centre bus gates?

As a result of rehearsing the debate already, transport convener and Liberal Democrat council co-leader Mr Yuill has already revealed how it will probably end up.

The Airyhall, Broomhill and Garthdee member unveiled plans to switch off the Adelphi bus gate, allowing greater access onto Market Street from the east end of Union Street.

Adelphi bus gate on Aberdeen's Union Street. — Aberdeen City Council leadership want to suspend the Adelphi bus gate on Union Street, currently stopping entry into Market Street. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Having voted to keep all of the measures at committee – with the exception of allowing traffic onto Market Street from Union Street – the SNP and Lib Dem administration is unlikely to change course in the three weeks in between.

But speaking to The P&J, Mr Yuill said: “We are always listening to the public and business and will keep listening in the meantime.”

The meeting on July 3, a day before the UK general election, will only discuss the same council reports and recommendations as last week.

It is unlikely there will be any greater clarity on the threat of scrapping the bus gates costing Aberdeen £8 million in Scottish Government grants.

But it will allow all 45 council members to have their say on what business chiefs warn might be the “final nail in the coffin” for Aberdeen city centre.