Aberdeen’s loss will be Aberdeenshire’s gain if the bus gates in the city centre are maintained on Wednesday.
A mystery Aberdeenshire councillor is just one of many claiming the traffic changes have encouraged people to do their shopping in places like Inverurie or Banchory instead.
Taking part in a consultation on the changes, they questioned the wisdom of this “anti-car” rejig of the Granite City. Thousands are now call for a compromise to help businesses survive.
Anonymised by city officials in the correspondence, they even reported a boom for Aberdeenshire retailers.
It comes as The Press and Journal partners with local businesses to bring forward different proposals.
We urge the council to listen to those hard-hit traders, and the people of the city, and instead approve our Common Sense Compromise:
- Keep the Guild Street bus gates, along with restrictions on Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate.
- Remove the bus gates at the Adelphi and Market Street, allowing access in both directions through Market Street.
- Remove the bus gates on Bridge Street, allowing full access in both directions.
- Remove the right turn ban on Union Terrace.
- Issue a warning rather than a fine to first offenders.
- Use fines to help city centre businesses via transport initiatives.
Shire councillor: Bus gates prove Aberdeen ‘just doesn’t get it’
The unnamed Aberdeenshire councillor was one of hundreds to already press their city counterparts to think again as part of the public consultation.
However, such was the concern for future of the city centre, the matter was escalated to Wednesday’s full council meeting despite the threat of an £8 million bill if the bus gates are scrapped.
In an almost gleeful letter, the covert councillor said: “Of course it’s massively helping our Aberdeenshire hospitality and retail outlets which are seeing a marked lift in business.
“And I now find that suburbia Aberdeen dwellers are also discovering the benefits of the shire.
“My ward has lost much of the public transport we used to have, and that means that families depend more and more on the car than ever before.
“The city just doesn’t seem to ‘get it’.”
Writing in on behalf of their “quite frankly angry” constituents, they branded the bus gates “yesterday’s solution to yesterday’s problems”.
‘Sleepless nights’ for Aberdeen traders hit by city centre bus gates
They are not alone in that opinion. Anecdotally, traders in Aberdeen are telling us customers – and even family members – are shirking the city centre for the Shire.
Shoppers report they’re making good use of the Aberdeen bypass to head south for a daytrip too.
And Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Grampian polling shows 59% of those asked are taking more frequent shopping and leisure trips out of the city to the shire as a result of the roads shake-up.
It all keeps those trying to keep their heads above water in the city centre up at night.
“I can see the anxiety and pain on the faces of our business owners and operators who are feeling the challenge,” Aberdeen Inspired chief executive Adrian Watson tells me.
“This is very real and I daresay is causing a few sleepless nights. A few have told us they’ll have to reconsider being in the city centre long term if this continues.
“Aberdeen still doesn’t enjoy public transport like other large cities so there is still a place and a need for the car. People need to have confidence within our market, which is Aberdeenshire – the hinterlands – as much as it is the city.
“If we are to grow as a regional capital city there needs to be that confidence people can come in by whatever means, including the car.
“There are car parks and I know the city centre masterplan has allowed for that…
“But the sense out there is that it’s very difficult to come to Aberdeen by car, that ‘the city doesn’t want us’.”
‘All of the north-east sees Union Street as their high street… we can’t lose that’
He’s being interviewed in the aptly named Common Sense Coffee House and Bar at the end of Union Terrace, across the road from Central Library, St Mark’s Church and His Majesty’s Theatre.
And it’s in front of the city’s famous Education, Salvation, Damnation, another piece of the puzzle is stumping drivers.
A ban on right turns out of Union Terrace into Rosemount Viaduct is ensuring more than a few receive what the latter of that imposing trio of civic buildings promises.
Over his latte with skimmed milk, Mr Watson adds: “There are only so many times someone in my position can hear that people in Aberdeenshire think the city feels closed. Perception like that becomes reality.
“Folk who would have come into the city centre in hail, rain or shine are starting to go elsewhere.
“It’s not just us living in Aberdeen, it’s folk living all over the north-east who see Union Street as their main high street.
“That’s something we don’t want to lose.”
Common Sense Cafe backs Common Sense Compromise
Proprietor John Wigglesworth gives Mr Watson a nod and a wave as he darts in and out of his cafe, one of three pavilions built during the £30m Union Terrace Gardens refurbishment.
He chose its name in honour of the School of Common Sense, founded during the 18th-century Scottish Enlightenment by Strachan-born philosopher Thomas Reid.
Reid studied not too far away at Marischal College and later taught at King’s College at Aberdeen University.
His school of thought, developed alongside contemporaries, is said to have far-reaching influence over many of the USA’s Founding Fathers.
Among those was third president Thomas Jefferson, who penned the Declaration of Independence.
And while turning out of Union Terrace towards Schoolhill is not an unalienable right, Mr Wigglesworth believes the case to be self-evident. (Thanks, Hamilton)
‘It’s ok to step back, look at it and compromise’
He tells us the “ridiculous” ban was hampering the catering arm of his business, set up in the former Carmine’s on Union Terrace, with many clients “only a right turn away”.
Mr Wigglesworth adds: “We always hoped Common Sense Coffee House and Bar could help the Aberdeen community to recognise that sometimes when you do something with the best intentions, it is ok to step back, look again and arrive at concessions.
“We hope all involved in this do give businesses and organisations working hard to stimulate the city centre the help they require.
“The north-east is the home of the School of Common Sense so let’s prove it in your actions, let’s show it.”
‘This is a real compromise, we haven’t tried to solve all ills in Aberdeen’
Mr Wigglesworth is just the latest business owner to back the Common Sense Compromise.
And the scale of the commercial effort to free Aberdeen of the hard-hitting measures is proof enough for Mr Watson that city centre firms are feeling the pain.
“They’re usually all very busy doing their own thing and can be hard to get to coalesce.
“But this has been much easier, which tells me from experience that this is a very real issue to them.
“Our suggestions are sensible ones. It is a real compromise, there were plenty of other things we could have put forward.
“You can easily go into mission creep here and try to solve all ills.
“But this is a pragmatic approach so hopefully the council administration, who will ultimately decide this, can work alongside us and adopt it.”
Are you an Aberdeenshire resident deterred from visiting due to the bus gates? Let us know in our comments section below
Back our Common Sense Compromise on the Aberdeen bus gates
The Press and Journal is standing side by side with Aberdeen businesses and business organisations in an appeal to reach a Common Sense Compromise.
But we can’t do it alone – we need your help.
If you would like to back our Aberdeen bus gate campaign, add your name to the petition launched by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce HERE.
Other ways to show your support and have your voice heard can be found HERE.
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