Aberdeen City Council’s leading group has been accused of “sabotaging the city’s recovery” as plans to pedestrianise Union Street were trashed this afternoon.
Following a stormy session in the chambers, members voted to permanently allow buses and taxis to remain on the disputed central stretch.
The controversial decision came after pleas from disability campaigners to do away with “discriminatory” plans they claimed would effectively ban them from the area.
The Disability Equity Partnership said certain groups would face being “excluded” under the proposals to ban buses from the 300m strip.
But Aberdeen architect Richard Tinto countered with an emotive appeal for councillors to progress pedestrianisation.
He argued that delaying or dismissing the scheme would create the impression Aberdeen is a city “that can’t get its act together”.
‘We aren’t stick-in-the-muds’
Putting forward the argument for maintaining bus and taxi access, council co-leader Ian Yuill said he wants to see a city centre that is “inclusive, not exclusive”.
His co-leader Alex Nicoll said: “We are putting disabled people front and centre.
“We are listening to the people of Aberdeen.
“The message has been loud and clear: they want buses back on Union Street.
“Are we wanting our city to be inclusive or exclusive? I don’t want a city centre where less and less and less has been available through pedestrianisation.
“We need to return access to Union Street.”
He was backed by the SNP’s John Cooke, who warned that preventing people from accessing the Granite Mile would only make it “wither”.
He said: “Those against pedestrianisation are sometimes characterised as stick-in-the-muds who don’t want any change.
“If you think that, I would like to remind you about what the Disability Equity Partnership said.”
The motion put forward by the SNP and Lib Dem administration was passed by 25 votes to 18.
Union Street pedestrianisation could still be part of Aberdeen’s future
However, officers have now been instructed to proceed with plans that could incorporate further moves towards a total traffic ban in the years to come.
The SNP’s Jessica Mennie dismissed suggestions this was a “halfway house” proposal.
She said: “We can regenerate our city in a considerate and accessible way.
“We should never exclude groups of people for what could be perceived as the greater good of businesses.”
"Being committed to accessibility is never a diluted approach," says Jessica Mennie of the SNP, responding to an earlier criticism from Sandra Macdonald.#AberdeenCouncilMeeting
— Craig Munro (@crunro) June 29, 2022
Aberdeen Union Street pedestrianisation blow came against officers’ wishes
The decision came against the recommendation of council officers, who urged elected members to push ahead with pedestrianising the stretch from Market Street to Bridge Street.
Under their vision, pavements would be widened, there would be a new cyclist-priority zone in the middle of the road and service vehicles would be allowed on only at restricted times.
Instead, the road will now be adjusted to just two lanes, for buses and taxis, and the pavements will be widened as something of a compromise.
However, officers warned that the addition of bus shelters would “restrict pavement
width”, there will be reduced crossing points and the conflict between cyclists and buses will continue.
The newly approved street layout includes “intermittent” laybys to prevent buses from queuing up along the thoroughfare.
There will also be potential for planters and street furniture on the widened footways.
Amid warnings that as many as 80 buses could be travelling through the stretch every hour, officers did warn about the risk of “confusion”.
A report outling public feedback states: “Reduced number of bus stops and multiple buses in laybys presents a high potential for confusion, and a more difficult to use transport system.”
But they add: “Bus operators would decide which services access Union Street Central.
“Enhanced information provision will be provided in whichever option is taken
forward to ensure clarity of service for all.”
Pedestrianisation ‘would cause great harm’
Disability campaigner Hussein Patwa, a self-employed accessibility consultant, told councillors that the option ultimately approved was the “only acceptable” one.
He said: “We are not against change or the idea of progress.
“We only ask that these ideas are inclusive, and don’t disenfranchise parts of our society now and into the future.
“Option two (pedestrianisation) would cause great harm to the most vulnerable citizens.”
The argument in favour of traffic ban
Mr Tinto introduced himself as “an architect and an Aberdonian passionate about the future of our city centre”.
Addressing the chamber, he said pedestrianisation would be the “golden thread” linking together other regeneration projects such as the Union Terrace Gardens revamp and new market building.
Speaking after the decision, a dejected Mr Tinto blasted the council for failing to “leave its long and painfully frustrating political one-up-manship in the past”.
He added: “It sends a negative message to the world and will leave many outsiders scratching their head at our continued ability to hold ourselves back.
“The responsibility and opportunity to create an inclusive, exciting and vibrant city centre has essentially been shelved by the current administration.
“This places extra burden, cost and unnecessary work to future generations in addressing this issue when it inevitably rises again.”
And Aberdeen Inspired chairman, Adrian Watson, said many businesses will feel “frustration” that “Aberdeen will not be embracing pedestrianisation in the same way other cities have”.
“There was a clear and compelling case for pedestrianisation, supported by many qualified consultants and council officials, as well as a considerable body of public support”, he added.
“However, we must respect the decision and move forward constructively to improve our city centre.
“We hope that pedestrianisation can be revisited in the future.”
‘I’m worried Marks and Spencer might leave Aberdeen’
Opposition councillors also spelled out the need for pedestrianisation as the best way forward for Aberdeen.
Labour’s Simon Watson argued: “We can’t turn the clock back to the heyday of Woolworths.”
Referencing the number of vacant units on Union Street, independent Jennifer Stewart said buses arriving there would be “on the road to nowhere”.
She added: “There is nowhere for them to go… I’m worried that even Marks and Spencer might leave Aberdeen.
“What’s going to happen to Aberdeen? Don’t use it as a political divide.”
And Conservative group leader Ryan Houghton said: “Our economy is in dire need now.
“This will sabotage the economic recovery of this city.
“It sends the message to businesses that the politicians here don’t want to make a difficult choice.”
And Mr Houghton rubbished the notion of leaving the door ajar to future pedestrianisation as “a fudge to find compromise among the groups of the administration”.
He added: “They do not want to make a difficult decision.”
Twists and turns in dramatic Union Street saga
This was the latest twist in the long-running saga on the future of the Granite Mile, coming only days after buses and taxis were allowed back on to the Market Street to Bridge Street stretch.
The disputed section has been closed off since summer 2020 which was part of the city’s Covid response.
Billed as temporary when introduced, the SNP and Liberal Democrats – then opposition but now in power – overturned plans to make it permanent.
Council roads team proposed solution to accessibility concerns
Roads planners suggested the bus-prioritisation of surrounding Market Street, Guild Street and Bridge Street would solve that issue.
New bus stops would have been installed close to the closed-off stretch, as well as more blue badge spaces and taxi ranks.
Yesterday, nearly 140 senior business figures from across Aberdeen – homebuilders, investment fund, hospitality venues, barbers, salons, florists and many more – penned an open letter to councillors, urging pedestrianisation.
An open letter signed by 138 business leaders has been sent to all councillors ahead of tomorrow’s full council meeting on the future of the pedestrianisation of Union Street Central.
Read more ➡️ https://t.co/2v48vxFAB8
— Aberdeen Inspired (@AbdnInspired) June 28, 2022
What about market millions?
Union Street pedestrianisation is also tied to the £50m new market project.
Last week Chancellor Rishi Sunak told The P&J that would need to be a “conversation” about a £20m grant for the market, if pedestrianisation was ditched.
Senior officer Sandy Beattie told the full council meeting that abandoning pedestrianisation “may present a funding risk” ahead of the vote.
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