Preparation work began yesterday on the long-awaited pedestrianisation of an Aberdeen city centre street.
Contractors cordoned off a section of pavement outside Marischal College as part of their investigative work before the £4million project to close off Broad Street to cars gets under way. Bikes and buses will still be allowed.
February has been set as the date for the major works to begin.
In October, architects Halliday Fraser Munro had their plans for a new roundabout at Upperkirkgate, a water feature, public lawn and a boulevard of trees approved.
Council chiefs hope the designs will allow public events to be hosted in the area, and have said granite slabs and Caithness stones will make up a “simple, elegant and robust” walkway similar to Belmont Street.
The cost of the design work, traffic order and construction is likely to be met in full by the money contributed by Marischal Square developer Muse, Sustrans contribution, developer obligations money to improve Core Paths, and masterplan capital money.
First Bus and Stagecoach both objected to proposals to close off Broad Street to all traffic, citing concerns it would affect their businesses.
Deputy council leader Marie Boulton, who chairs the cross-party city centre regeneration board, said: “We are very excited about the start of the work to Broad Street which will help transform this part of the city centre to help make it more pedestrian-friendly and a more attractive place to visit and work.”
But Dustin MacDonald, chairman of Aberdeen City Centre Community Council, said: “We felt that you either had all or nothing – either vehicles were on the street or they were all banned.
“But we are where we arem and now it’s important the work progresses quickly so we can start to hold events there.”