A NEW bus gate is to be introduced on an Aberdeen road in March.

Aberdeen City Council is to bring in the bus gate on Bedford Road as part of work around the £18 million Third Don Crossing.

The council is proposing to establish the gate, between the junctions with Meston Walk and Hermitage Avenue, to allow only buses and cyclists to use the area.

The decision has been made despite it emerging that the move could lead to 27% more vehicles using St Machar Drive.

Eight objections were lodged against parts of the Bedford Road work during a public consultation stage which ran earlier this year.

Of these, five were lodged against the bus gate while the others were in relation to the impact it could have on nearby roads.

And the city council’s spokesman on regeneration and transport Ross Grant, who is also a councillor for the area, today spoke of his support for the introduction of the bus gate.

He said: “We are looking at enforcing the new bus gate in March.

“For me, there is an obvious benefit of having the bus gate as it will mean far less traffic on that road.

“We will also be working with residents to help them identify the best and easiest ways of getting in and out of their area.

“It will also increase safety for groups such as pensioners and children trying to cross the road. The gate shouldn’t take long to develop and in terms of visibility, it won’t be much.”

But the plans have been met with mixed reaction over access to Kittybrewster Retail Park.

The area is expanding after plans to create a new McDonald’s and Pure Gym were approved.

A letter to the council by Montagu Evans, which represents businesses in the area, said: “Alternative solutions could include the potential to develop a temporary bus gate solution which may serve to manage traffic at certain peaks which could still then allow access to the retail park via Bedford Road north of its junction with Meston Walk.”