Campaigners against the controversial Marischal Square development are planning to attend a meeting today about proposals to pedestrianise one of Aberdeen’s busiest streets.
Bill Skidmore and Lorna McHattie, of the Reject Marischal Square campaign, are among those heading to the council chamber to hear about plans to close off Broad Street.
Proposals to create a civic square by closing off the road to traffic were withdrawn by Aberdeen City Council in 2014, just weeks before the Marischal Square development was given the green light.
It was later revealed they could be revived as part of the city centre masterplan, despite worries the closure of the street would cause traffic problems in the surrounding area at peak afternoon times.
Today, councillors are being asked to give their views, with three options on offer: these are full pedestrianisation, public transport and bicycles only, or keeping full access – with new designs.
Councillors will only receive fresh information at 9.30am – an hour before the full council meeting commences.
SNP transport spokesman Graham Dickson claimed the public would be outraged by the revelation councillors were being given so little time.
And Mr Skidmore described the situation as “pretty grim”
He added: “This is another example of an 11th-hour report being presented to members of the council and they are supposed to make a decision on it that day.
“It just seems that everything to do with Marischal Square has been rushed; they rushed the vote back in 2013.
“Usually, if somebody is given something like this [to examine], they would want two or three days to look at it.”
A public consultation is expected to be held later this spring before a final decision is made on the street, potentially before the summer recess.
Mrs McHattie has sent an email to councillors with a series of Post-it notes from a Shaping Aberdeen event in 2014 – highlighting views against pedestrianisation of Broad Street.
She urged councillors not to vote one way or the other until there had been a full impact assessment for the city centre as a whole, and the public had a chance to give their views on a comprehensive report.
She said: “We voted you into Council to do your best as an individual for the citizens of Aberdeen, please do not play party politics to the detriment of sensible, informed and timely decision making.”