I feel compelled to write about my soulless journey down Union Street the other week – my first opportunity for several months as a trip to Lakeland beckoned and a swap of M&S collection point to St Nicholas instead of Union Square.
I met more pigeons, gulls, Deliveroo workers cycling on the pavement and empty shops than people, unless you count the poor souls standing in the middle of the road because of the wooden structures erected for “spaces for people” – what people?
When I reached the pedestrian section, there were only a handful there at 11.30am on a Friday! Why have a pedestrian area which no one is using? No wonder shops can’t survive.
Scott Begbie, you are wrong. Union Street needs what he describes as stinking bus exhausts, never-ending din and rush of traffic – in other words, people at bus stops, the chatter of those at taxi ranks.
A travel along the street by car highlights, for example, a new takeaway Taco Bell which I wasn’t aware of. It is good to see some outdoor venues, as he says, but don’t forget the number of events which have been curtailed in the city centre due to bad weather.
I urge Aberdeen City Council to reassess this situation, where the “stinking exhausts” – referred to by Mr Begbie – are directed down Market Street, which is already a problem, and into an over-capacity Union Square!
Kate Cumming, Ingram Walk, Aberdeen.
Stark reality of pipe dreams
Once again another artist’s impression of how Aberdeen could be. This time the green initiative.
Union Street, the new indoor international food market, an eye-watering £75 million leaving a shortfall for all the other pipe dream projects.
Remember the oil rig fantasy off the beach, an aquarium in Torry and a whole host of other wonderful things that Aberdeen were going to be getting? The stark reality – nothing happened.
Stuart fraser, Balgownie Way, Aberdeen.
Damage done
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has decided not to follow the rest of the UK and has created a two-tier travel system. This will commercially damage Scottish airports as passengers will flock to English airports such as Newcastle and Manchester to save on testing costs.
Dennis F Grattan, Mugiemoss Road, Bucksburn, Aberdeen.
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