The fight to reopen Union Street to buses and taxis could yet be won – four months after the fate of the Granite Mile looked to be sealed.
Aberdeen City Council will again debate the short-term future of the Market Street to Bridge Street stretch, after November’s decision to keep it closed permanently.
The SNP and Liberal Democrats have been struggling to bring forward a debate on the latest issue to split the Aberdeen public.
More than 2,500 people have signed a petition calling for the immediate lifting of the remaining temporary Covid physical distancing closures, first brought in during the summer of 2020.
Closed stretch is key to regenerative Aberdeen market project
The contended strip is viewed as key to the city’s regeneration and could soon feature a new £50 million market development on the former BHS site.
And now, after months of being on the wrong side of the council’s rule book, the SNP has got it back on the agenda.
In January, a majority of city councillors voted in favour of having a debate on the short-term future of the Granite mile.
But the 24 SNP, Liberal Democrat and two administration independent councillors were six votes short of the two-thirds majority needed to have it heard.
It remains a real possibility, with the ruling Labour-led administration in the minority.
This time, those 24 would be enough to bring about change as the vote is not subject to the same six-month rule which blocked efforts last time.
The SNP are calling for interim design works to be halted, and buses and taxis to be allowed to return to the busiest part of Union Street.
They still support longer-term redesign of the Granite Mile but believe the road should be open while the options are considered.
Last November, as the votes of four councillors sealed the future of Aberdeen’s best-known road, senior administration figure Marie Boulton quit her job as city centre masterplan lead in protest at the continued Union Street closure.
Disability campaigners have voiced concerns that the ongoing traffic ban – brought in temporarily initially – was “engineering” people with mobility issues from the city centre.
Vote could bring Market Street back into use – and move bus gate misery
Reopening, if backed by councillors next week, would also mean the Adelphi bus gate would be shifted further up Union Street – once again allowing access to Market Street from the city’s main thoroughfare.
However a second camera would be fitted at the Bridge Street end of the bus, taxi and bike-only stretch.
More than 42,000 people have been caught out by the camera in only six months – potentially raking in more than £2.5m in fines for council coffers.
Shuffling the bus gate is expected to cost £10,000 and could be paid using money given to Aberdeen to pay for physical distancing measures.
If passed, the taxi rank in Back Wynd would be reinstated and delivery vehicles would be offered timed access to negotiate the surrounding bus gates.
Set to be debated on Monday, councillors are also being asked to sign off on detailed plans for the improved links between Market Street and Guild Street.
These improvements are tied to the new market proposals.
Analysis: Union Street row is the starter gun in Aberdeen council election race
