Access to an Aberdeen street from the city’s main thoroughfare is to be restored in the latest U-turn around physical distancing road closures.
Traders in Bon Accord Terrace and Justice Mill Lane had complained of being marooned by the temporary Spaces For People work in the area.
The council’s £1.76 million project had been arranged to make the city’s streets safer for pedestrians and cyclists during the pandemic.
Initially council officers imposed a ban on right turns off Union Street into Bon Accord Terrace and enforced a one-way system in the direction of Holburn Street.
A contraflow bike lane marked out by traffic cones was installed in the other direction and the Holburn end of the street blocked off.
Council transport spokeswoman Sandra Macdonald has confirmed right turns in Bon Accord Terrace will soon be permitted once again and has revealed the bike lane is being scrapped too.
“The contraflow was only ever a temporary trial but it just didn’t work,” she said.
“To try to keep those cones there through the winter was just going to be a nightmare.”
Two-way traffic will be permitted in Justice Mill Lane – but access will still be blocked from Holburn Street over fears the road would be used as rat-run to avoid the similar upheaval in Union Street.
Council staff are yet to set a timescale for the changes, first taking views on their plans.
Mrs Macdonald added: “I think this is a good compromise hammered out between the competing interests in the area to try and help.
“It will be two-way traffic but still no entry at the Holburn end.
“It presents an opportunity for the Glentanar Bar if they want to expand out to get a bit more trade on that corner with a tent or on to the wooden pavement extension.
““Officers will be monitoring the road and if a rat-run does spring up they will look at it again.”
Traders, residents and councillors put their concerns to roads officers at the very beginning of last month.
A leading voice in reinstating better access to the Bon Accord area was Rosemary Michie, of Charles Michie’s Pharmacy in Union Street.
Last night she said: “With the one-way restriction in Justice Mill Lane, traffic was also going faster and some even going the wrong way, so the situation wasn’t safe either.
“I’m very pleased that the council have listened to the local businesses – the easing of road restrictions can only help visitors, businesses and residents.”