Aberdeen’s city centre planning boss has been accused of working “hand in glove” with bus company executives to push through controversial bus gates.
An investigation by The Press and Journal has uncovered a trove of emails sent by David Dunne to officials at Stagecoach and First Bus.
Obtained using Freedom of Information legislation, the messages reveal that Mr Dunne repeatedly asked executives for favourable statistics on the bus gates.
They have been accused of “trying to spin a better story” as crestfallen traders were left counting the cost of the measures.
It’s understood that local business leaders were not extended the same courtesy, as the head honcho behind the roads changes opted against asking them for similar input on the trade-killing traffic bans.
Our exclusive report reveals:
- The messages from bus bosses to Mr Dunne – with one saying “hopefully everything goes to plan!”
- An email from Mr Dunne inviting public transport executives to speak before councillors to stress the benefits of the changes
- And former SNP council co-leader Alex Nicoll is calling for an independent investigation after reviewing our findings
Top council officer pushed to ‘show positive impact of Aberdeen bus gates’
Mr Dunne contacted executives from Stagecoach and First Bus multiple times as a crucial report on the bus gates was being compiled.
Along with the council, the two companies are members of the North East Bus Alliance, a “voluntary partnership” established to “achieve growth in bus patronage”.
The emails stretch as far back as early 2023, months before the traffic bans were enforced, as the parties discussed their rollout.
On May 8 this year, Mr Dunne emailed executives, writing: “[Redacted council employee] needs data for her report.
“Can I ask that you provide her with as much data as you can in relation to the performance of the measures and impact on your networks?
“As you will imagine there [will] be a strong evidence base provided [by] lobbyists against the gates so showing the positive impact is crucial.”
By this time, the bus gates had been in place for about six months and traders were growing restless.
“Footfall in the city centre is very much down from the inception in August when the city introduced the bus gates,” Aberdeen Inspired chief executive Adrian Watson warned at the time.
Email sent the day after bombshell report
The following day, on May 15, Dunne contacted the companies once again.
This time, he alluded to “pressure” to complete a report.
He said: “[Redacted council employee] is under pressure to complete [the] report on the bus gates.
“Any data you could provide to strengthen the argument for keeping them would be appreciated.”
Later that morning, a First Bus representative responded with: “Hi David…we will have plenty evidence.”
This began a long chain of emails between the two parties, as Dunne and another council employee requested specific data on passenger journeys — figures which were later included in the official report.
Last-minute change of heart from city planning chief
Several weeks later, with the bus gate vote looming, Mr Dunne contacted First Bus and Stagecoach executives once again, encouraging them to speak at the crunch meeting.
Messages explained that he wanted a counter argument, should any opponent of the scheme address councillors in what’s known as a deputation.
On June 5, he wrote: “Further to our conversation about the possibility of speaking at committee, I have included a link to the page with details of how to request to speak. I’ve also copied in the committee clerk who I am sure can help.”
The next morning a Stagecoach official responded, asking for advice.
They wrote: “When we had the last board meeting, we discussed the likelihood of the issue being contentious.
“Is there a risk the committee will reject the recommendations as things stand, or that a deputation will create an issue that would not otherwise arise in the meeting?
“Your guidance would be helpful so that partners can take a view on whether a deputation would be beneficial, and if so, who is best placed to deliver it.”
Two hours later, Mr Dunne emailed back with an apparent change of heart.
He said: “I was a little concerned yesterday about the risk of a deputation which may have challenged the measures, but we feel we have addressed those concerns.
“In that context, we don’t feel we need a deputation in support but thank you.”
‘Hopefully everything goes to plan!’
The Stagecoach executive responded affirmatively, writing: “Thanks David, that is reassuring. Hopefully everything goes to plan on Tuesday!”
Amid a storm of controversy, the matter was deferred to a subsequent meeting in July.
And after months of delays, the gates were made permanent in October.
The move came after almost 12,000 residents backed a petition led by The Press and Journal and business leaders begging for traders to be shown some mercy.
Claims that ‘officers were acting on instructions from administration’
After seeing the chain of emails, former co-leader Alex Nicoll said he believes planning officers “were clearly acting on instructions” from higher-ups.
Appalled by the decision his own party pushed for, Mr Nicoll quit the SNP he used to run in Aberdeen last month after the traffic bans were made permanent.
“Officers don’t make these decisions on their own,” he told The Press and Journal.
“This is very much a case of partnership leaders pushing the gates through because the bus companies wanted this, and not compromising with businesses.”
“This needs to be examined closely and independently”, Mr Nicoll added, saying the matter should be probed by the council’s audit, risk, and scrutiny committee.
“It’s not unusual to have opposing groups provide different perspectives at meetings but this should be organised independently.
“At what point were partnership leaders listening to the views of citizens and the businesses? It does open the question of whether the council has been genuinely open and transparent.”
‘I believe Mr Dunne was under immense pressure’
Likewise, Tory leader Richard Brooks said the messages demonstrate the political “pressure” put on council officers.
“I believe Mr Dunne would have been under immense pressure from the administration to justify keeping the bus gates,” he said.
“With no financial mitigation in place from the administration to remove the ‘trial’ bus gates, Mr Dunne appears to have been given no alternative but to press for justification to make the bus gates permanent.”
Mr Brooks added: “These passages are pretty damning and show that the tail is wagging the dog again.
“I notice the public view is only seen as a perception, and that they were busy trying to spin a better story.”
Council co-leader says allegations of pressure are ‘ridiculous’
Council co-leader Christian Allard hit back at Mr Nicoll’s and Mr Brook’s claims.
The SNP councillor said: “It is simply ridiculous to suggest that officials were doing anything less than conveying their professional opinion.
“These concerns now being raised do beg the question: Why did previous leaders bring forward such innovative plans for bus priority if not guided by officials?”
He added: “Co-leaders and senior officers engaged with business representatives in the run-up to the council decision.
“They continue to work with businesses, including bus operators, to ensure we make our city centre the best possible place it can be.”
‘This is a potential breach of protocol,’ says Labour
Labour group leader M Tauqeer Malik also blamed the SNP-Lib Dem administration for “siding with the bus companies” whilst “betraying” city centre businesses.
He said: “Following the release of the FOIs I have written to the monitoring officer asking her to investigate matters relating to the information contained within the FOIs and whether a breach of the elected member/officer protocol has occurred.
‘Report was not written to be neutral’
Mr Malik added: “It was evident from the start that officers were working hand in glove with bus operators to portray the so-called benefits of bus gates without considering traders on Union Street.
“David Dunne even admitted in one email that he was a little concerned about the risk of a deputation which may have challenged the accuracy of the measures concerned.
“It is clear that the report to the net zero committee was written not to be neutral but to support bus gates — ignoring the views of traders.”
What does Aberdeen City Council say?
However, the local authority defended Mr Dunne, saying such conversations are “normal practice”.
A spokesman said: “It is completely appropriate that officers ensure that elected members are provided with robust, factual information to support recommendations.
“There is an expectation on any report author, to provide the full picture to members, and to ensure that the risks and opportunities associated with a set of recommendations are clearly outlined and based on evidence.
“This is normal practice and in keeping with their responsibilities under the Member Officer Relations Protocol, as well as being the expectation of any officer reporting to council or a committee.”
‘We will work with businesses’
A First spokesperson added: “We recognise the challenges that some businesses are facing and as Aberdeen’s bus operator are fully committed to working with them in partnership and have a range of support measures in place.
“Since bus priority measures were introduced last year, we have seen faster travel times for more than 600,000 monthly journeys, resulting in a more efficient service.”
Stagecoach was also contacted for comment.
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