Agenda item

That Council:-

(1)       cease the interim design works for public realm improvements on the mid section of Union Street (from Market Street to Bridge Street);

(2)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to reopen Union Street between its junctions with Union Terrace and Market Street to service buses, taxis, private hire vehicles and pedal cycles only, all as soon as is practicably possible, but not before any necessary investigatory or other required works are completed and not before any necessary statutory processes are completed: such work shall include the reopening of the temporarily closed bus stops and pedestrian crossings on this section of Union Street, where practicable;

(3)       retain the current timed delivery arrangements via Back Wynd/Belmont Street;

(4)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to remove the existing bus gate on Union Street, just East of Market Street and introduce new bus gates on Union Street between Bridge Street and Market Street;

The estimated cost of the works to be incurred is £10,000 and this expenditure will be met from existing operational budgets and the Spaces for People budget;

(5)       instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to initiate the consultation process to re-establish the taxi rank stances on Back Wynd and the night time taxi rank on Union Street at St Nicholas churchyard and report back to the Licensing Committee with the results of the consultation exercise;

(6)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to complete any necessary statutory processes to allow for waiting on Back Wynd by taxis; and

(7)       note the Director of Resources will continue to engage with stakeholders across the city, including children and young people and the Disability Equity Partnership, in relation to the work packages instructed through the City Growth and Resources Committee on 12 November 2021.

The Council had before it a notice of motion by Councillor McLellan in the following terms:-

“That Council:-

(1)       cease the interim design works for public realm improvements on the mid section of Union Street (from Market Street to Bridge Street);

(2)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to reopen Union Street between its junctions with Union Terrace and Market Street to service buses, taxis, private hire vehicles and pedal cycles only, all as soon as is practicably possible, but not before any necessary investigatory or other required works are completed and not before any necessary statutory processes are completed: such work shall include the reopening of the temporarily closed bus stops and pedestrian crossings on this section of Union Street, where practicable;

(3)       retain the current timed delivery arrangements via Back Wynd/Belmont Street;

(4)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to remove the existing bus gate on Union Street, just East of Market Street and introduce new bus gates on Union Street between Bridge Street and Market Street;

The estimated cost of the works to be incurred is £10,000 and this expenditure will be met from existing operational budgets and the Spaces for People budget;

(5)       instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to initiate the consultation process to re-establish the taxi rank stances on Back Wynd and the night time taxi rank on Union Street at St Nicholas churchyard and report back to the Licensing Committee with the results of the consultation exercise;

(6)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to complete any necessary statutory processes to allow for waiting on Back Wynd by taxis; and

(7)       note the Director of Resources will continue to engage with stakeholders across the city, including children and young people and the Disability Equity Partnership, in relation to the work packages instructed through the City Growth and Resources Committee on 12 November 2021.”

Councillor McLellan moved, seconded by Councillor Radley:-

          That the Council -

(1)       cease the interim design works for public realm improvements on the mid-section of Union Street (from Market Street to Bridge Street);

(2)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to reopen Union Street between its junctions with Union Terrace and Market Street to service buses, taxis, private hire vehicles and pedal cycles only, all as soon as is practicably possible, but not before any necessary investigatory or other required works are completed and not before any necessary statutory processes are completed: such work shall include the reopening of the temporarily closed bus stops and pedestrian crossings on this section of Union Street, where practicable;

(3)       instruct Chief Officer - Strategic Place Planning to work with bus operators to aim to move to ultra-low emission vehicles on the Market-Bridge Street section with geo-fenced buses travelling at 7mph as soon as practically possible;

(4)       retain the current timed delivery arrangements via Back Wynd/Belmont Street;

(5)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to remove the existing bus gate on Union Street, just East of Market Street and introduce new bus gates on Union Street between Bridge Street and Market Street; The estimated cost of the works to be incurred is £10,000 and this expenditure will be met from existing operational budgets and the Spaces for People budget;

(6)       instruct the Chief Officer - Governance to initiate the consultation process to re-establish the taxi rank stances on Back Wynd and the night time taxi rank on Union Street at St Nicholas churchyard, which was never formally suspended, and report back to the Licensing Committee with the results of the consultation exercise;

(7)       instruct the Chief Officer - Operations and Protective Services to complete any necessary statutory processes to allow for waiting on Back Wynd by taxis;

(8)       instruct the Director of Resources to continue to explore all options for the movement of people and traffic on Union Street and onwards connections to the Beach. Giving consideration to the improvements at South College Street and the Low Emission Zone - reporting back progress to Full Council in June 2022;

(9)       instruct the Director of Resources to continue with evolving streetscape design for the priority intervention areas, giving consideration to the reintroduction of service buses, taxis, private hire cars and pedal cycles on Union Street Central and Union Street East, and report back to the Full Council meeting in June 2022, and

(10)    note the Director of Resources would continue to engage with stakeholders across the city, including children and young people and the Disability Equity Partnership, in relation to the work packages instructed through the City Growth and Resources Committee on 12 November 2021.

Councillor Houghton moved as an amendment, seconded by Councillor Grant:-

          That the Council take no action.

Councillor Boulton moved as a further amendment, seconded by Councillor Cameron:-

          That the Council -

(1)       cease the interim design works for public realm improvements on the mid section of Union Street (from Market Street to Bridge Street);

(2)       (a) re-introduce service buses two ways on Union Street Central, allowing for service buses to stop for passengers to get on and off. Re-introduction to be as soon as practically possible;

(b) instruct the Chief Officer – Strategic Place Planning to work with bus operators to aim to move to ultra-low emission vehicles on the Market-Bridge Street section with geo-fenced buses travelling at 7mph as soon as practically possible;

(c) re-introduce the taxi rank on Back Wynd, allow taxis and private hire cars to access the central section of Union Street. Instruct the Chief Officer – Governance to carry out any statutory processes required to enable the reintroduction of the rank and queuing by taxis as soon as possible, reporting back to the Licensing Committee;

(d) re-instate the night time rank on Union Street outside St Nicholas Churchyard – never formally suspended;

(e) allow for pedal cyclists to continue on Union Street Central;

(f) continue the time limited delivery arrangements via Belmont Street and Back Wynd;

(g) instruct the Chief Officer – Operations and Protective Services to reposition the bus/taxis gate to the middle section of Union Street at the Market Street and Bridge Street locations. Allow traffic back onto Market Street and Union Street East in both directions. Change the signs reflecting the new layout. Funding to be taken from the Spaces for People budget and existing operational budgets. All works to be carried out as soon as practically possible;

(3)       instruct the Director of Resources to continue to explore all options for the movement of people and traffic on Union Street and onwards connections to the Beach. Giving consideration to the improvements at South College Street and the LEZ zones. Reporting back progress to Full Council in June 2022;

(4)       instruct the Director of Resources to continue with evolving streetscape design for the priority intervention areas, giving consideration of the reintroduction of service buses, taxis and private hire cars on the central section of Union Street and the reintroduction of traffic on Market Street and Union Street East report back progress to Full Council in June 2022; and

(5)       instruct the Director of Resources to continue to engage with stakeholders across the city, including children and young people, older people and the Disability Equity Partnership, in relation to any proposed uses or changes to the City Centre.

There being a motion and two amendments, the Council first divided between the motion and the amendment by Councillor Houghton which proposed no action.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Boulton, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar MSP, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alex Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll MSP, Noble, Radley, Townson and Yuill.

For the amendment by Councillor Houghton  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Cross, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden MSP, Macdonald, MacKenzie, Malik, Mason, Reynolds, Sellar and Wheeler.

The Council then divided between the motion and the amendment by Councillor Boulton.

On a division, there voted:-

For the motion  (23)  -  Councillors Al-Samarai, Allard, Alphonse, Boulton, Cameron, Cooke, Copland, Cormie, Delaney, Jackie Dunbar MSP, Greig, Henrickson, Hutchison, MacGregor, McLellan, McRae, Mennie, Alex Nicoll, Audrey Nicoll MSP, Noble, Radley, Townson and Yuill.

For the amendment by Councillor Boulton  (0)

Declined to vote  (22)  -  Lord Provost; Depute Provost; and Councillors Allan, Bell, Cross, Donnelly, Lesley Dunbar, Duncan, Graham, Grant, Houghton, Imrie, John, Laing, Lumsden MSP, Macdonald, MacKenzie, Malik, Mason, Reynolds, Sellar and Wheeler.

The Council resolved:-

to adopt the motion.