Controversial bus gates could make bus tickets cheaper for Aberdeen passengers

Both First and Stagecoach have hailed the new bus priority route as a "welcome addition" to services across Aberdeen.

By Lauren Taylor

November 6 2023, 6:00 am

Savings could be passed on to passengers as a result of the controversial bus priority route. Image: Ben Hendry / DC Thomson.

Bus tickets in Aberdeen could be made cheaper as a result of the much-hated bus gates.

The new bus priority route has been driving drivers round the bend (literally in some cases) since it was first introduced in August.

Labelled as “another nail in the coffin” for Aberdeen’s city centre, thousands of people shared their fury online — with many signing petitions for the bus gates to be scrapped.

Some even compared driving in the Granite City to “entering the Crystal Maze”.

Drivers were being caught out by the new bus gates. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson.

However, both First Bus and Stagecoach have praised the new bus priority route as a “welcome addition” for their services.

In a recent report, First said they have noted a 10% increase in passengers.

Now, the operator is considering ways to “reinvest the benefits” — which could mean cheaper fares for passengers.

The new bus gate on Market Street. Image: Ben Hendry/DC Thomson.

First ‘need to understand’ what benefits may look like

According to First, passengers are “already benefitting” from improvements in “punctuality and reliability”, as well as quicker journeys through the city centre.

Day tickets for services around Aberdeen currently cost £5.10, meanwhile, an adult two-trip ticket is £4.70.

The new bus gate on Bridge Street. Image: Lottie Hood/ DC Thomson.

The company previously offered passengers a 50% discount on select tickets to coincide with the first month of the bus priority zone.

But the operator says there are numerous ways the benefits of the bus gates to its services could be “reinvested”.

This could be through the “consideration of fares”, introducing more services to the routes and more.

The existing bus gate on Union Street near the top of Bridge Street.

A First Bus spokesman explained the company is still deciding exactly what changes it could be making, but cheaper tickets are one option being considered.

He said: “Bus priority measures have been a welcome addition for services in Aberdeen.

“We have seen that punctuality is continuing to improve and we are in the process of trying to evaluate what that means, including the increase in passenger numbers.

“Our hope is to reinvest the benefits and we need to understand what that may look like over a longer period of time.”