The votes of Conservative and Labour councillors blocked an attempt to give all 45 members of Aberdeen City Council the chance to have their say on whether or not to reopen central Union Street.

The vote came at the start of a special meeting of the City Council on Wednesday 12th January which was called by opposition councillors in an attempt to get the Council to reopen central Union Street to buses and taxis. Council rules meant that two thirds of the councillors had to agree to discuss this. Despite 24 councillors backing the proposal, the votes of 21 Conservative, Labour and Independent councillors meant no discussion took place.

Lib Dem councillor Steve Delaney said, “This ongoing saga 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”.

“A decision of this magnitude should have been decided by the full council but instead it was approved on a casting vote, following a 4-4 tie in November. A clear majority of councillors voted to discuss the matter on 12th January, yet the minority won the day due to the two thirds rule and they prevented the matter being discussed discussion once again”.

These Conservative and Labour councillors who have blocked discussion will have to answer to the people of Aberdeen at the Council elections in May. That election cannot come a day too soon.