Business leaders, shopkeepers and hotel bosses say they are disappointed but determined after being left in limbo on Aberdeen’s controversial bus gates.
Over the past week, traders and organisations have joined forces with The Press and Journal to campaign for a Common Sense Compromise on the measures blamed for plummeting footfall and dwindling profits in the city centre.
There had been high hopes that the alternate set of proposals, backed by around 9,500 people, could be rubber-stamped in talks today.
However, after a rollercoaster meeting, the scores of businesses pinning their hopes to the crusade were eventually left waiting.
An emergency meeting is now set to be held within the next 14 days, though council leaders hope it could be “as soon as possible” within that window.
We spoke to some of the traders behind the campaign, who offered a mixed reaction to the delay…
‘Aberdeen businesses don’t have time to wait for bus gate decision’
“It’s just a really uncertain time and we don’t exactly have the luxury of time I’m afraid”, Victoria Mutch tells me dejectedly, outside the council chambers.
The owner of Schoolhill boutique, Style for your Shape, was one of many business owners whose eyes were glued to today’s council meeting.
Victoria watched on from the public gallery as the council failed to decide on the big issue before time ran out.
As things stood, it looked like the decision would have to wait until August.
Her expression was akin to a football fan seeing the opposing team hold the ball in the corner in the 90th minute, as they held on to a small lead while running out the clock…
However, Labour councillor M Tauqeer Malik came up with a last gasp winner for city centre traders.
His 11th hour intervention, the last thing that was discussed before full time, now means that a decision will need to be made within the next 14 days.
‘We may not have survived seven weeks’
A relived Victoria tells me: “Businesses didn’t have time to wait.
“It was originally going to be seven weeks until the next council meeting, and who knows if the businesses would have survived that period?”
She added: “Myself and other businesses have put a lot of work in the past few weeks to try and get the council to listen.
“However, two weeks is a timeline that we can live with.”
‘Some reassurances’ for businesses, says city chief
Chief executive of Aberdeen Inspired, Adrian Watson, later adds that businesses should be able to take “some reassurances” from the talks.
He reasons: “The business community would obviously have liked to have seen this resolved today.
“The decision being within 14 days will alleviate some of the anxiety felt by businesses, many of whom are living day to day in the city centre.
“It’s a very real issue and that’s why it’s so important to so many.”
Adrian was one of many driving forces behind the Common Sense Compromise, which put forward six proposals, which are:
- Keep the Guild Street bus gates, along with restrictions on Schoolhill and Upperkirkgate.
- Remove the bus gates at the Adelphi and Market Street, allowing access in both directions through Market Street.
- Remove the bus gates on Bridge Street, allowing full access in both directions.
- Remove the right turn ban on Union Terrace.
- Issue a warning rather than a fine to first offenders.
- Use fines to help city centre businesses via transport initiatives.
Aberdeen jewellers not as impressed with bus gate decision deferral
Dominique Dawson, third generation jeweller at Finnie’s on George Street, was another prominent voice campaigning for a change to the bus gates.
She remains to be fully convinced that the extra fortnight will be worth the additional uncertainty.
Dominique explains: “Two weeks is okay, but can it actually be used to talk to businesses and people in the city centre?
“I am disappointed that a decision wasn’t reached today. That would have been a massive step forward given the noise created.”
Hotelier upbeat, despite hoping for a bus gate compromise being made today
Franklin Martins, general manager at the Ibis Hotel on Shiprow, was one of dozens who turned out in a final show of support for the compromise campaign this week.
He told us how the bus gates have forced him to slash rates at his hotel, while fed-up guests have left bad reviews after struggling to drive to it.
As I entered the busy reception at his Shiprow premises, he greeted me with a smile.
An optimistic Franklin told me: “I take this as a win for the businesses that are really affected by the bus gates.
I would have been happier if we got an exact outcome on where we stand regarding the changes proposed.”
A short stroll away, Graeme Masterton is mulling over the events of the day in the office of his Gamola golf shop at the foot of Market Street.
He told me he was dismayed that the issue, such a “hot topic in the city”, was not voted on in the Wednesday, July 3, talks.
Annie Mo’s owner: ‘We’re all behind this for a reason’
Emily McDonald is one of many who shared firsthand accounts of how the traffic restrictions have impacted trade.
The persistent problem has become so severe that the owner of Union Street furniture store Annie Mo’s even admitted to having recurring “nightmares” about them.
Today Emily sighed: “It would have been a relief to have a decision today, but if they’re going to dedicate a full meeting to this at some point in the future then that’s good…
“We are all behind this for a reason.”
Do you agree with city centre traders? Let us know in our comments section below
What’s next for Aberdeen’s bus gates?
Despite Lord Provost Cameron’s wishes to have the debate pushed back until the end of August, councillors must come up with a solution within the next 14 days.
Aberdeen businesses are, overall, content with today’s bus gate decision.
This also gives an added few days for the Common Sense Compromise petition to soar past the 10,000 mark.
Aberdeen Inspired’s Adrian Watson concluded: “We cannot over-emphasise the importance of finding a way forward.”
You can view the full meeting here.
A Common Sense Compromise on the Aberdeen bus gates and Etro
The Press and Journal is standing side by side with Aberdeen businesses and business organisations in an appeal to reach a Common Sense Compromise.
But we can’t do it alone – we need your help.
If you would like to back our Aberdeen bus gate campaign, add your name to the petition launched by Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce HERE.
Other ways to show your support and have your voice heard can be found HERE.
Read more:
- Aberdeen bus gates: ‘Abuse of power’ claims as SNP and Lib Dems avoid vote despite 9,000 backing campaign for change
- Shire towns ‘boom’ as people stay away from city centre that ‘doesn’t want them’
- ‘Please listen to us’: Finnie’s the Jeweller manager ‘worn down’ as bus gates keep people away from Aberdeen
- ‘I’ve stopped going into Aberdeen’: Why THOUSANDS are already backing ‘business-saving’ campaign for bus gates compromise
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