Buses could be banned from a fully pedestrianised Broad Street and a new bridge built over the Dee if the Liberal Democrats are in charge of Aberdeen after next week’s election.
The city’s Lib Dem candidates have unveiled their manifesto – entitled ‘Putting the sparkle back in the Granite City’ – as polling day approaches.
And they are emphasising their long-held ambition to fully close off the refurbished Broad Street.
Blind and partially-sighted residents have claimed they are “too scared” to use the road, recently revamped in a £3.2m project, due to the lack of kerbs and crossings.
The promise to end the bus priority along the front of Marischal College is backed up with another to rule out any similar shared pedestrian and vehicle spaces in the future.
That would include along Union Street, where buses running alongside a pedestrianised zone could be a possibility.
Buses and taxis on Union Street until ‘viable alternatives’ are found
On the city’s main thoroughfare, the Liberal Democrats have promised that the Market Street and Bridge Street stretch will remain accessible to people with disabilities and mobility issues.
Buses and taxis are expected to regain access to the busy strip in the coming weeks and would remain until “viable alternative arrangements” can be found.
Councillors will meet in June to vote on £150 million plans to refresh the city centre and beach areas.
The Liberal Democrats have matched the SNP’s plans to extend the £150m regeneration work to include all of the seafront, as well as links between the Don and Dee rivers.
“Whilst wishing Aberdeen Football Club well,” they have also ruled out public funds for the construction of a replacement for Pittodrie at the beach.
Manifesto includes all of Aberdeen Liberal Democrats’ greatest hits: Schools, roads and the environment
Investment has also been promised in schools and frontline education services, with cash to update and upgrade older school buildings to make them accessible and fit for 21st Century needs.
Unveiling his group’s manifesto, Aberdeen Liberal Democrat leader Ian Yuill said: “Aberdeen is a city with a long and proud heritage, a city with a record of valuing education, a city with a strong entrepreneurial spirit and a city which embraces links across Europe and around the world.
“Sadly, over the last 10 years the city council has been led by a coalition of Conservative, Labour and independent councillors which has more than doubled the council’s non-housing capital debt to over £1,068 million pounds.
“This is the equivalent of £4,664 for every adult and child in Aberdeen.
“The Conservative, Labour and Independent councillors have pursued large vanity projects rather than focussing on providing the key services upon which people depend.”
Liberal Democrats promise £40m fund to fix Aberdeen’s ‘crumbling’ roads and pavements
And as previously revealed in The P&J, they have also committed millions of pounds – £40m over five years – to restoring Aberdeen’s “crumbling” roads and pavements.
If in charge, they would look to get four in five roads back in good condition in the coming decade.
There is also a promise to build a new crossing, replacing or supplementing the 16th Century Bridge of Dee, which group leader Ian Yuill admitted would be a “long process”.
“But it’s not suitable for what it’s currently being used for, being shared by pedestrians and vehicles.”
Pledges have also been made to push for rail stops in Cove, Altens and Kittybrewster, invest £2m a year in safer cycling and walking routes, spend another £2m a year on electric vehicle chargers and to “very substantially expand” 20mph limits across the city.
There’s also a vow not to proceed with a contested plan for a new link road through Pitfodels.
There would also be a £1m annual budget for road safety improvements, a policy of integrating segregated bike lanes into new road designs, and a review of traffic along the Lang Stracht to promote active travel there.
Liberal Democrat manifesto includes planning 5,000 more social houses and getting rid of brown bin charges
With a promise to improve the environment, candidates have pledged the planting of one million trees in the next 10 year; as well as abolishing the so-called garden tax brown bin charge.
On a grander scale, they want city chiefs to look into the feasibility of installing heat pumps in council-owned open spaces to generate energy.
In the manifesto, which Mr Yuill confirms has been fully costed, the party has committed to coming up with a plan to add up to 5,000 social houses in Aberdeen over the next 10 years.
You can find a full list of candidates standing for election to Aberdeen City Council here.
