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‘I did the right thing’: Why another Aberdeen SNP councillor broke ranks over bus gate vote

Exclusive: Alison Alphonse refused to side with her party colleagues as they voted to make controversial traffic bans permanent.

Councillor Alphonse is adamant she "did the right thing" by not voting for Aberdeen's bus gates. Image: Kath Flannery and Colin Rennie/DC Thomson
Councillor Alphonse is adamant she "did the right thing" by not voting for Aberdeen's bus gates. Image: Kath Flannery and Colin Rennie/DC Thomson

Cracks within Aberdeen’s SNP group have deepened as second councillor has broken her silence after refusing to back city centre bus gates.

Bridge of Don councillor Alison Alphonse joined former Aberdeen SNP group leader Alex Nicoll by breaking ranks as her colleagues voted the controversial measures through.

Days of anger have followed since the vote took place.

Councillor Alison Alphonse said it was her constituents fears that made her decide to abstain from the vote on Aberdeen's bus gates. Image: Kenny Elrick/ DC Thomson
Councillor Alison Alphonse said it was her constituents fears that made her decide to abstain from the vote on Aberdeen’s bus gates. Image: Kenny Elrick/ DC Thomson

Now Ms Alphonse has given her reasoning as to why she couldn’t opt for Aberdeen’s bus gates to stay.

Meanwhile, we reveal the names of all those who did vote to make the measures permanent…

‘I did the right thing’

Speaking exclusively to The Press and Journal, Ms Alphonse explained her decision to abstain from the crunch vote.

“I did the right thing,” she said.

“I had a lot of discussions with my constituents. They told me they were getting confused coming into the city centre.”

Market Street bus gate.
Ms Alphonse told The P&J that locals had complained in their droves about the controversial traffic measures. Image: Scott Baxter/ DC Thomson

Before last Friday’s crucial bus gate talks, almost 12,000 locals took a stand and expressed a similar view – which fell on deaf ears as the measures were set in stone.

Ultimately, 21 SNP and Lib Dem members outvoted the 15 Tory, Labour and independent members to make the “experimental” changes a lasting fixture.

We can now reveal the 21 councillors who voted for the measures to become a permanent part of Aberdeen city centre: 

Left to right: Gill Al-Samarai. Desmond Bouse, Hazel Cameron, Neil MacGregor, Donna Clark, John Cooke, Neil Copland, Bill Cormie, David Cameron, Derek Davidson, Christian Allard as the driver, Lee Fairfull, Martin Greig, Steve Delaney, Ciaran McRae, Dell Henrickson, Michael Hutchison, Kairin Van Sweeden, Alex McLellan, Miranda Radley and Ian Yuill. Image: Roddie Reid/DC Thomson

Did legal advice sway Alison Alphonse’s decision?

The legal advice regarding the council’s installation of the bus gates, and risk that government funding for improvements elsewhere could be snatched back, has come under some scrutiny.

This is what many in the ruling group based their decision on.

Opposition councillors had previously fought tooth and nail to see the advice, and when they were given the chance, one member took advantage.

Labour group leader M Tauqeer Malik. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
Labour group leader M Tauqeer Malik swiped the highly secretive document. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Councillor M Tauqeer Malik pocketed the top-secret legal papers, much to the anger of the council’s legal team.

But Ms Alphonse said this did not influence her decision.

“Absolutely not,” she told us.

But she added: “I absolutely endorse Alex Nicoll [who abstained over the legal advice]. I agree with him 100%.”

Councillor Alex Nicoll. was doubtful over the rollout of the scheme. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson
Councillor Nicoll was doubtful over the council’s legal advice. Image: Kenny Elrick/DC Thomson

Mr Nicoll was the other SNP member to break ranks and abstain from voting in favour of the bus gates.

His concerns came from “the lack of any substantial challenge to those questions, and the position they developed”.

Why did councillor not vote for the Common Sense Compromise?

But despite listening to her constituents’ pleas to axe the hugely unpopular bus gates, Ms Alphonse abstained from voting – and did not vote for the Common Sense Compromise which sought to remove some of the bus gates.

But she would not be drawn on her reason for stopping short of backing the pleas of traders and the public.

Councillor Alison Alphonse was one of two SNP members to abstain from the vote on Aberdeen's bus gates. Image: Darrell Benns.
Councillor Alison Alphonse was one of two SNP members to abstain from the vote on Aberdeen’s bus gates. Image: Darrell Benns.

She told The P&J:”(I abstained from the vote) because they were already in place before we were in administration”.

After being asked for clarity on this answer, she simply stated: “I don’t want to say any more”.

Aberdeen’s SNP group declined to comment.


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