Row over permanent pedestrianisation of Union Street intensifies
This morning opposition parties failed in an attempt to overturn the decision to permanently pedestrianise part of Union Street
The row over the permanent pedestrianisation of a section of Aberdeen's Union Street has been sparked again.
In November a City Council committee voted to keep the the area traffic free, a measure originally brought in as part of the 'spaces for people' programme during lockdown.
Opposition Councillors were left outraged, as they felt the vote on such an important matter should have been brought before full Council.
Both the SNP and Lib Dems have stated serious concerns around possible accessibility issues if public transport and taxis are not allowed access to the stretch of road.
Therefore, both groups forced a vote to overturn the decision and finally bring it before the full council.
But despite more Councillors voting for the motion (24 to 21) it was not passed, as in order to do so the motion required the backing of two thirds of the chamber (30).
SNP Group Leader Alex Nicoll has called it a "sad day for democracy."
Liberal Democrat group leader Ian Yuill said:
“This is an insult to democracy and to the people with disabilities, older people and others who have effectively been excluded from the city centre for most of the last two years. It also means continuing delays caused by diverting bus services along Bridge Street, Guild Street and Market Street.
“Only four councillors backed closing central Union Street in November, a majority of councillors today made clear they wanted all 45 councillors to decide the future of central Union Street, yet a minority of councillors stopped that discussion even taking place.
“The Conservative and Labour councillors who blocked discussion today will have to answer to the people of Aberdeen at the Council elections in May. That election cannot come a day too soon.”
But Council Leader Jenny Laing of Labour has told Northsound:
“I think the public will see the calling of this special meeting as what it is, a cheap political stunt that was always destined to fail.”
She then went on the attack against Nicoll and the SNP, saying:
"Today the SNP did what they did just before the 2012 and 2017 elections, they forced officers to hold a special council meeting to try and overturn a decision they don’t like, thinking the public are on their side.
"They held a special council meeting on Union Terrace Gardens in 2012 and Marischal Square in 2017. On both occasions at the May election that followed the electorate refused to give them a mandate to run the Council.
"The SNP are predictable if nothing else and I suspect the electorate of Aberdeen will once again ensure they are nowhere near the levers of power following the election in May simply because our city and our citizens want to have a successful and vibrant Union Street.”