Aberdeen City Council’s plans for a public consultation on the possible pedestrianisation of Broad Street was dramatically defeated yesterday after a rebellion led by the authority’s own deputy leader.
Marie Boulton was joined by two other Independents, and the ruling administration’s allies, the Conservatives, to defeat the Labour motion to make the Broad Street plans public.
Opposition groups, the SNP and Liberal Democrats, also opposed the consultation proposal, arguing that detailed traffic planning still required to be done.
Labour council leader, Jenny Laing, was left pleading with her usual allies to support her motion adding that the ambitious city masterplan must “get off the ground” as soon as possible.
But members were given just an hour to scrutinise the new proposals, which included three options: sticking with the status quo, only opening the street to buses and bicycles, or fully pedestrianising it.
The motion from the Labour group noted the “extensive consultation” which had been carried out on the 20-year masterplan and asked for the consultation recommendations to be approved.
But a late amendment, in the name of Mrs Boulton, Tory leader Ross Thomson, SNP leader Jackie Dunbar and Lib Dem leader Ian Yuill, asked officers to report back in May with the designs after considering “wider transportation implications”.
Mrs Boulton said: “We need the right decision, not just a quick decision. (The masterplan) is a jigsaw and we need to make sure we know where all the pieces go before we proceed.”
The rare show of cross-party unity was praised by the Tory leader.
Mr Thomson said: “We have three parties working together. The only party who is not behind this is the Labour party.”
SNP councillor Stephen Flynn said the fact the nationalists were working with the Tories showed the seriousness of the matter.
But Labour members roundly condemned the amendment. Neil Cooney said: “As a teacher, I thought I had heard all the excuses – this is just delay, dither and defer.”
Ms Laing added her view that opponents of the plan were “afraid of making a decision”.
The amendment was passed by 26 votes to 17.