Aberdeen parking permit: 'City centre living tax' is a mistake

Punishing people for choosing to live in the centre of town isn’t the solution Aberdeen City Council seem to think it is, writes Rebecca Buchan.

With less than a fortnight left of this year, I have been considering what resolutions I should adopt for 2023.

The usual, of course – exercise more, eat healthily, do my bit for the planet and moan less are all areas I know I could do better in. And, with the cost of living crisis affecting us all, “save some money” should definitely be on my list, too.

Many aspects of my life already make some of these naturally easier to achieve.

Living just a 25-minute walk from the office helps. It allows me to get my steps in and the car is left at home, killing two birds with one stone.

But, just as Aberdeen City Council dashed my Christmas dreams in failing to deliver the city centre masterplan in time for Santa, it would appear it’s also going to throw a spanner in the works of my New Year’s resolutions.

Currently, I pay £60 to park my Mini outside my own front door. But, apparently, that’s not enough and, as of next year – as well as all the other bills going up – I will have to pay £150. That’s not going to do much for my “save money” pledge.

I will be honest and say I am lucky and I can afford to pay the increase. But not everyone is as fortunate.

Penalising city centre residents isn’t the answer

For some people living in the immediate city centre, that price will be increased to £200, and they aren’t allowed a second permit. This will, without a doubt, be such an additional stress for so many.

I absolutely understand the need to reduce traffic in our city centres, and I have spoken at length before about how I believe that is the best way forward for Aberdeen. However this latest revelation to come from the SNP-Lib Dem “partnership” feels premature, ill-advised and not thought through.

More thought is required over how to reduce cars in the city centre while increasing footfall (Image: Atmosphere1/Shutterstock)

There are many pockets of the city centre occupied by people on the breadline who may very well rely on their cars to get them to work.

And, with hopes of regeneration pinned on more people coming into town to live and work, how does this price hike act as a means of encouragement?

I know a nurse who lives on Crown Street. She loves living centrally, but she often finds herself working in places like Portlethen at 6am.

I guess I am not surprised to see the parking permit decision coming from an administration led by Ian ‘Ebenezer Scrooge’ Yuill

She needs her car, but, with nurses striking because of poor pay and an increase in cost of living generally, this could be the straw that breaks the camel’s back in terms of forcing her out of the city. And who would blame her?

Public transport is not a viable option. It’s too expensive, not all that frequent, and, with antisocial shifts, it’s understandable why people wouldn’t want to rely on it to get them to work.

But, I guess I am not surprised to see the parking permit decision coming from an administration led by Ian “Ebenezer Scrooge” Yuill. The people most affected by the change will not be the ones responsible for voting him back in.

Council’s priorities are out of order

Yuill’s constituents in Airyhall and Broomhill largely live in expensive properties with their own driveways, which can fit not one but two cars. They don’t need a permit to park on their street. And those in Garthdee are exempt from the changes.

Oh, and they have gardens, too. Scrooge campaigned on the promise to “abolish the city’s garden tax”, to ensure that those homes won’t need to pay £30 a year to have their brown bins collected anymore.

But, alas, if you’re in a tenement on Crown Street, that’s not a saving you’ll be making, given you’re not likely to have the luxury of a garden.

This table shows the changes to Aberdeen city council parking permit prices from April 2023 which have now been approved (Image: DC Thomson)

Is it just me, or does the city council have its priorities all wrong? It very much feels like some are being slapped with a “city centre living tax”.

If you believe what was said in council chambers this week, they haven’t yet added up how much this increase in parking permits would bring in, but I predict it’s enough to cover the £642,000 it costs to empty those brown bins.

And, while we’re on odd priorities, the city council is vehemently against pedestrianising Union Street, but now they want to ban buses from Broad Street? (Another Lib Dem manifesto pledge.)

How is this the same administration?

Let 2023 be the year Lib Dem-SNP partnership finds its feet

There are four Lib Dem councillors with seats on Aberdeen City Council, yet it feels clear to me it is the party running the show. Slightly embarrassing for the 20-strong SNP group, but needs must, I suppose.

I am not necessarily against pedestrianising Broad Street, if they can make any new and improved public transport work with it – but, what’s the rush? If it ain’t broke and all that. In the grand scheme of things, it doesn’t feel to me like it’s a priority.

Could Broad Street become permanently pedestrianised? (Image: Wullie Marr/DC Thomson)

Maybe I’m becoming a bit of a broken record, but every week I become more and more frustrated by council decisions. And that really doesn’t help with my “moan less” goal.

As 2023 approaches, I can only hope that the partnership finds its feet and allows me to stick to as many of my resolutions as possible. Only time will tell, but I’m not going to hold my breath.

Rebecca Buchan is City and Shire Team Leader for The Press & Journal and Evening Express