Controversial Aberdeen bus gates to stay after legal challenge fails

Controversial bus gates in Aberdeen, which limit the movement of cars in the city, are here to stay, after a court ruled in favour of the local authority.

Local retailer Norman Esslemont brought the challenges to the Court of Session.

He argued that their implementation failed to follow proper legal procedure and had an impact on businesses, but the court ruled against that.

However, a panel of judges found that there was “no merit in any of the grounds of appeal” in regards to the decision to introduce the measures.

Local traders and the public raised around £70,000 to launch the court battle, while more than 500 objections to the measures were submitted during a consultation last year.

The council were taken to court over controversial bus gates STV News

The council has consistently defended the project, saying the restrictions are clearly signposted, support active travel, and improve bus reliability.

More than 100,000 fines have been linked to the bus priority measures in the past two years.

Following the ruling, Mr Esslemont told STV News: “I’m obviously very disappointed at the result. It hasn’t gone in our favour, but I have absolutely no regrets of taking the case forward.

“And I hope that it has shown the council the strength of feeling that there is against the bus gates. Perhaps, as was suggested earlier by the Chamber of Commerce, there is an argument for a couple of bus gates, but not the way they’ve been put in just now, which is a deterrent for a thriving centre.

“And if the council look at it rationally, the success of a thriving city like Aberdeen, to make it successful, needs to have free-flowing traffic and a public that wants to come into the city.”

Aberdeen City Council said they “look forward to continuing to work with businesses and communities to make the city centre an even better place to live, work, invest, and visit.”