Plans to permanently pedestrianise Union Street could lead to the public abandoning Aberdeen’s main thoroughfare – a “hammer blow” to city bus firms and traders alike.
First Bus and Stagecoach Bluebird have been diverted away from the city’s seven busiest stops since the end of last May in the name of physical distancing.
Union Street, between Market Street and Broad Street, was the first of several streets to close or be reduced to one way, as part of the £1.76 million Spaces For People work.
But this week, councillors will decide on the long-term future of the Granite Mile as part of a £150m refresh of the city centre and the beach.
Bus-free Union Street pedestrianisation would prompt half of First’s passengers to go elsewhere
Ahead of that vote, First Bus has revealed 57% of its passengers told them they would likely avoid Union Street altogether and travel elsewhere if the closure was made permanent.
The firm surveyed 1,135 bus users – meaning around around 650 people are threatening the boycott.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents also said they were not prepared to endure increased journey times in order to skirt around the pedestrianised zone.
Currently, diversions take buses through a bus gate at the top of Market Street, round by Guild Street and Bridge Street.
First Aberdeen operations director David Phillips said: “More than 80% of our passengers want to see buses return to Union Street and it’s clear that bus users are finding the measures in place a real barrier when it comes to accessing services, whether that be bus routes, or retail and business facilities in the vicinity of the closed road section.
“Overall, these findings are nothing short of a hammer blow, not only to bus operators but to businesses and retailers in the city centre who are working tirelessly to attract footfall back to the city centre.
“The Spaces for People measures on Union Street must be revoked if the city and its businesses are to have any real chance of returning to a level of trade, access and use that was enjoyed by everyone prior to the pandemic.”
Union Street pedestrianisation decision to be taken this week
Council officials will on Friday recommend councillors to block off the central stretch of Union Street to all but pedestrians and cyclists, though service vehicles would be allowed access at certain hours.
This would likely bring about a reprioritisation of traffic in Market Street, Bridge Street and Guild Street, shifting the balance in favour of buses, taxis and cyclists.
Peter Knight, the managing director at Stagecoach Bluebird, is concerned the plans, emerging while the world’s eyes are on climate change talks being held in Scotland, could put green ambitions at risk.
He told us: “We have always remained fully supportive of any plans to make Aberdeen city centre a more attractive place to live, work and visit.
“Bus priority and easy access for people to visit the city centre is critical to delivering a net zero future and any measures which act as a roadblock for buses and inconvenience to passengers making a greener choice will only endorse less sustainable travel modes.”
Union Street pedestrianisation: ‘Strong case’ for bus access
Meanwhile, opposition councillors are setting out their stall ahead of Friday’s vote.
SNP group leader Alex Nicoll said: “It is clear from the survey, and from looking at the congestion caused by the closure of Union Street, that it is time to return public transport to its whole length.
“With street closures planned for the Christmas Village we need to ensure public transport can get into our city centre.”
It was later clarified that Mr Nicoll was speaking also about longer-term plans for the Granite Mile.
And his Liberal Democrat counterpart, Ian Yuill agreed the temporary Spaces For People needed to be removed before any permanent change is decided upon.
“And there is a strong case for continued bus access on Union Street if pedestrianisation goes ahead,” he told us.
“However, like in Broad Street, that would make it a bus prioritisation area rather than pedestrianised.”
Public transport retained access to Broad Street in 2018, when it was ‘part-pedestrianised’ for a cost of £3.2m.
The ruling Conservative, Labour and independent administration said they would not comment ahead of Friday’s meeting.