Blundering council bosses want to UNDO a vote made two months ago as they admit breaking the rules by axing only one part of Aberdeen’s controversial roads overhaul.
It comes as increasingly desperate traders seek legal advice over the “chaos” that has engulfed the city centre.
Business leaders believe that the red tape wrangle surrounding Union Terrace could ultimately reignite the battle over damaging traffic bans.
But now Aberdeen City Council has scrambled to arrange a crisis meeting in a frantic bid to walk back the “incompetent” vote made by leading councillors in October.
This, they argue, could “mitigate any risks” should it be rubber-stamped.
What was the contentious vote in the first place?
When the embattled SNP and Lib Dem administration voted to set Aberdeen’s derided bus gates in stone, they made a concession to campaigners calling for the system to be scrapped.
The ruling group decided to do away with the ban on right turns from Union Terrace onto Rosemount Viaduct and Schoolhill, while keeping in place harmful traffic bans on Market Street and Bridge Street.
But it has since emerged the move was not “legally competent” under the rare roads legislation which allowed the measures to be introduced without prior consultation.
City centre improvement group Aberdeen Inspired hoped this could lead to a fresh round of talks.
This, they argued, would give traders another shot at changing council leaders’ minds over the bus gates said to have destroyed their takings.
Shopkeeper to contact lawyers on behalf of battered business community
One veteran retailer even vowed to contact lawyers to see if the council can be challenged in court.
Speaking hours after we revealed the wrangle over Union Terrace on Monday, clothes shop owner Norman Esslemont said the lack of clarity has caused “alarm” among traders.
So what is the council doing about the bus gate wrangle now?
Red-faced local authority chiefs have now been forced to arrange an emergency summit this week – days after councillors thought they had their final meeting of 2024…
The chain of events has been branded “chaos” by one business insider.
At this meeting on Wednesday, they will be asked to undo the democratic vote taken in the same room on October 11.
Documents explain that it “has since been identified that the measures may not be
capable of being achieved in the precise way set out in that decision”.
One political rival scoffed that SNP and Lib Dem politicians “clearly didn’t know the rules”.
Officials have now put forward what they call an “alternative process” which they say will “mitigate the risk of future challenge”.
The report states: “An urgent decision is required on this matter.”
What is the ‘alternative process’?
Instead, the entire system of bus gates and the right-turn ban on Union Terrace would be made permanent.
That means the change which SNP and Lib Dem leaders heralded as an example of them listening to businesses will be reversed.
A consultation would then begin on the “potential removal of the ban on right turns from Union Terrace onto Rosemount Viaduct”.
This would then be voted on again at a later date.
‘At best, they’re incompetent’
Leader of the council’s Conservative group, Rick Brooks, has blasted the “chaotic calamity”.
He said: “This last minute meeting shows the utter disarray the SNP and Lib Dems who are supposed to be running the council are in.
“Either the administration didn’t know what the law around the gate changes requires, or they did know and hid it.
“At best they’re incompetent. Serious questions need answered about this chaotic calamity of a council administration.”
Because it is a meeting of the council’s urgent business committee, only a handful of members will be present.
Lack of clarity on new bus gate rules ‘sparks alarm’ among businesses
The council has maintained a silence on the Union Terrace situation for days, only announcing the emergency meeting at 6.30pm on Monday evening.
Norman Esslemont said the continuing traffic restrictions are “costing people a lot of money”.
The Esslemonts clothes shop boss said: “And we are not talking about a slight drop…
“The damage that the bus gates have inflicted on businesses has resulted in a significant decrease in trade.
“Even now during the festive period which is supposed to be our busiest, trade is OK – but certainly not how it used to be, and how it should be.”
‘Traders have never been so united like in the face of the bus gates threat’
Norman is convinced that plenty of others would be more than willing to stump up their cash to pay for a legal challenge.
He said: “Having heard from fellow traders how much they have suffered – whether they are in the bus gates or, like myself, on Thistle Street – I feel compelled to do this.
“I have been overwhelmed by the unanimous support from people who are ready to chip in and join this fight.
“I have been an Aberdeen retailer for some 60 years and I’ve never seen business owners so united, so passionate about this one cause.”
Norman adds: “I have never been so dismayed and despondent at the lack of response from councillors.
“My personal worry is that these officers perhaps have too much influence over our council leaders – to the point that they appear to be the ones controlling the narrative.
“Have they delegated too much power to these officials? Because that’s how it looks from an outsider’s perspective.”
What do you think of the latest council shambles? Let us know in our comments section below
Norman also recounted an experience at a recent business breakfast where attendees were asked to raise their hand if they supported the Aberdeen bus gates.
And out of 200 people, only two hands were raised, one of which belonged to council co-leader Christian Allard.
Aberdeen Inspired boss: ‘This isn’t an isolated case – there are countless more’
Aberdeen Inspired chief executive Adrian Watson commended Norman for taking action into his own hands.
Adrian said: “Norman is a very good example of what I’m hearing from businesses day in and day out.
“He is not standing in that position in isolation, there are countless folk in a similar situation with a narrative along those lines.”
He adds: “Businesses are telling us that they are losing between 15% and 40% trade since the inception of bus gates and LEZ, we need to act.
“We still have fantastic retail offering, but it is challenging and we need to find that common sense compromise.”
Read more:
- Exclusive: Claims vote to scrap Aberdeen’s Union Terrace right turn ban was ‘not legally competent’
- Adelphi bus gate: How to avoid a fine as we reveal what difference Union Street change will REALLY make
- Exclusive: ‘Damning’ emails show council chief ‘worked hand in glove with Aberdeen bus firms to push through bus gates’
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