Aarhus Byråd

Byrådet (city council) maintains the bus gate on Nørre Allé after Vesterbro Torv evaluation

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Aarhus Byråd adopted on 26 August 2026 the magistrat (municipal executive)'s recommendation to evaluate traffic management after the transformation of Vesterbro Torv – but in accordance with the statement from By- og Planudvalget, the bus gate on Nørre Allé is being maintained.

Document date: 26. august 2026
Section: City council
Status: Beta
Source: Aarhus Kommune meeting documents — Aarhus Byråd 26 August 2026 · item 9 (minutes + recommendation + signed copy + committee statement + note) ↗

Summary

Aarhus Byråd adopted on 26 August 2026 the magistrat's recommendation to evaluate traffic management after the transformation of Vesterbro Torv – but in accordance with the statement from By- og Planudvalget, the bus gate on Nørre Allé is being maintained. At the same time, DKK 3.375 million is allocated to mitigating measures, and supplementary appropriation of DKK 10 million is granted for the project.

Fra byrådets papirer

Returned to the Magistrates' Department for Technology and Environment with the remark that the byråd at its meeting on 26 August 2026 adopted the magistrat's recommendation in accordance with the statement from By- og Planudvalget of 19 August 2026.

What it means for you

The bus gate on Nørre Allé stays. Motorists will not get the reopening that the recommendation originally proposed. In return, Technology and Environment must as quickly as possible develop a proposal for traffic islands in and around the Ø-gaderne to stop through traffic in, among other streets, Thunøgade and Sølystgade. Among other things, a trial closure of Møllegade at Vestergade will be established, permanent closure of Emil Aarestrups Vej at Paludan Müllers Vej, trial closure of the central median at Vestre Ringgade at Eugen Warmings Vej, as well as 30 km/h zones with speed bumps around Eugen Warmings Vej and Poul Martin Møllers Vej.

Background

The transformation of Vesterbro Torv and surrounding streets builds on the Midtbymobilitetsplanen from 2018 and the political agreement on Grøn Mobilitetsplan 2024. The aim has been higher street and urban space quality, better conditions for public transport and cyclists, and climate adaptation. The bus gate in Nørre Allé was established based on the byråd recommendation »A more beautiful, greener and more peaceful Vesterbro Torv« in 2023 to calm traffic and ensure bus accessibility. Subsequently, there has been illegal through traffic in the gate and increased rat-running in residential areas.

Technology and Environment's recommendation of 26 May 2026 presented the evaluation together with proposals for adjustments and financial status. The magistrat recommended on 9 June 2026 that the byråd adopt the recommendation; Socialdemokratiet, Venstre, Danmarksdemokraterne and Socialistisk Folkeparti entered reservations. The byråd referred the case to By- og Planudvalget on 17 June 2026. The udvalg (committee) postponed consideration on 24 June after a hearing and adopted the recommendation on 19 August with changes: the bus gate is maintained, and the administration must continue work on traffic islands, enforcement and an investment plan for the overall road network.

Figures and facts

The proposed mitigating measures have total capital costs of approx. DKK 3.4 million. (Appendix — Recommendation)
DKK 3.375 million from the pool for traffic calming is proposed to be used for the measures. (Appendix — Recommendation)
An expected cost overrun in the project of approx. DKK 10 million has been identified; supplementary appropriation of DKK 10 million is proposed for 2026. (Appendix — Recommendation)
Approx. DKK 5 million of the cost overrun is attributed among other things to extra analyses and design, adjustments to the climate adaptation project, extraordinary communication and adjustments after political wishes. (Appendix — Note MTM 24.06.2026)
Technology and Environment's estimate for traffic on Nørre Allé if the bus gate is removed is around 6,000 cars per day – associated with great uncertainty. (Appendix — Note MTM 24.06.2026)
After the rebuilding of Vestergade, car traffic throughout the day is limited to around 5%. (Appendix — Recommendation)

Who said what

A majority in By- og Planudvalget – Kristian Sommer, Anette Poulsen, Liv Gro Jensen, Albert Rosenkrantz Conradsen and Isabella Heilmann – adopted the recommendation with the changes on maintaining the bus gate and further work on traffic islands and enforcement. Gert Bjerregaard and Jakob Søgaard Clausen could support the recommendation's point on removal of the bus gate, but entered reservations on the remainder.

In the byråd chamber on 26 August 2026, Kristian Sommer (S) stressed that removal of the bus gate according to the administration does not solve through traffic, but displaces it, and that the administration must present measures in the Ø-gaderne as well as an investment plan for the overall road network. Albert Rosenkrantz Conradsen (SF) called the preservation a victory and mentioned 3,500 fewer cars in the city centre every day. Gert Bjerregaard (V) believed that reopening the bus gate is necessary for accessibility across the city and to relieve rat-running in the Øgadekvarterene. Jeppe Ulrich Lomholt (EL) read Isabella Heilmann's words that the committee statement preserves and adjusts the bus gate and directs cars away from the small streets.

Venstre's, Det Konservative Folkeparti's, Liberal Alliance's, Danmarksdemokraternes and Dansk Folkeparti's byråd groups could support recommendation decision point 3 on removal of the bus gate.

What happens next

The case is returned to the Magistrates' Department for Technology and Environment. The administration must as quickly as possible develop proposals for traffic islands in the Ø-gaderne, continue work on the bus gate's design and enforcement together with the police, and present proposals for an investment plan for the overall road network. Lighting of options and consequences of a closure of Vestergade has been commissioned; no decision has been taken on the citizen proposal for closure at this stage. The remaining mitigating measures and the financial handling follow the adopted recommendation with the udvalg's changes.

Sources

Other appendices

Transcript

Transcript of the council debate with speakers named, from the official signed record.

Open in Transcripts →