New images of reimagined Aberdeen city centre as consultation reveals plans to drastically reduce traffic on Union Street

Plans have been revealed to vastly reduce access to Union Street as a consultation is launched on multi-million-pound work in Aberdeen.

New images of spots across the city centre have been published as a consultation is launched on the scale of the proposed transformation.

It’s part of a £150 million project to reinvigorate the city centre and beach.

The far-reaching proposals cover eight areas of the city centre.

Those include Union Street split into three parts (east, central and west), as well as the Belmont Street area, Schoolhill, Upperkirkgate, Castlegate, Aberdeen market and the West End.

Images illustrate how the city centre could look have been published, including new sculptures and large amounts of greenery.

Union Street West: Consultation reveals local access route plans

Perhaps the most striking of these show a tree-lined upper end of the Granite Mile.

Council engagement firm Streets-UK have published their vision for Union Terrace to Holburn Street.

Roads planners want to prioritise walking, wheeling and cycling at the top of Union Street, widening pavements and improving crossings.

They also want to improve access to buses and taxis on the stretch, from Union Terrace to the top of Holburn Street.

Trees would be planted under the proposals, alongside new seating areas and plaza spaces in front of “key buildings”.

New spaces would “allow people to gather and celebrate the city’s rich heritage,” the designers say.

Big changes to access throughout the city centre… including new bus gates

One-way systems and local access routes are proposed on a large number of streets on the “city centre movement plan”, which has been released as part of the consultation.

Buses, taxis and service vehicles would all still be able to use the full length of Union Street.

And access will still be possible to “all properties, car parks and other destinations, however in some cases the routes that cars can take to these destinations will change”, according to the plans.

A map of the proposed “city centre movement plan” for Aberdeen. Image: Aberdeen City Council.

Meanwhile, new bus gates could be installed as part of a new bus-priority “gyratory” round Bridge Street, Market Street and Guild Street.

New bus gate cameras could be installed in each of those streets, as well as near McCombie’s Court where there were previously bus-only measures.

What’s the need for changes in Union Street and the city centre?

Changes are being put forward are to “avoid unnecessary traffic” through the city centre” while improving links with the beach.

They are also designed to “make it easier and safer” for people to travel by foot, wheelchair, bike, or public transport.

There are also hoped it will “result in a less-polluted city centre environment”.

Roads planners estimate reductions in traffic on key streets throughout Aberdeen if the proposals proceed.

There could be a drop in traffic of 80% on central Union Street and 60% on the western end of Union Street.

Documents even suggest up to 99% of traffic could redirected from Market Street, the eastern end of Union Street, and Bridge Street.

New ground on city regeneration after pedestrianisation debate put to bed

It comes only months after councillors settled the debate on the future of the central stretch of Union Street.

Months of fierce back and forth on potential pedestrianisation ended when the SNP and Liberal Democrats took control at the Town House.

Their majority voted for continued bus access on the stretch between Market Street and Bridge Street.

They also voted for the bus-priority route now being demarcated with the new potential bus gates.

It’s part of the £150m project hoped to bring people back to the city centre and to make more of the beach.

Last week, Aberdonians had their say on plans for the seafront – and they were not wholly positive.

Consultation underway at Aberdeen shopping mall

The plans have gone on display at the Bon Accord Shopping Centre until Monday October 17.

Proposals can also viewed online.

But they are available to view at the back of the shopping mall, near the Aberdeen Science Centre premises.

Furthermore, staff will be on hand to field public questions.

They will be at the Bon Accord Centre on Thursday and Friday between 2pm and 6pm.

And they will return Saturday too, from 12pm to 6pm.

Council operations convener Miranda Radley said: “We want to ensure the city centre is a thriving place to visit, work and live in by investing wisely and ensuring people have an opportunity to contribute to the proposed designs for the area.

“The proposals would also encourage more people to make the shift to walking, cycling, or public transport as well as providing more opportunities to hold events, more green areas, more public art, and play areas for the city centre.”

Another consultation looking at all options for the beach – apart from plans for a new Aberdeen FC stadium – is open for public views until October 24.

Feedback from the consultations will be used to inform plans  being drawn up for councillors to vote on in December.