Work starts on A90 safety
TRANSPORT Scotland-funded road improvement works are underway on the A90 at Laurencekirk and will continue throughout March.
Works are being undertaken to install additional signing, improve road lining, and lay high friction surfacing as part of a package of measures designed to enhance road safety at the three junctions on the A90 serving Laurencekirk.
These improvements are part of Transport Scotland's continuing commitment to improving road safety across the trunk road network.
Lane closures will be in place at various times during the works with temporary speed restrictions in place on occasions in the interests of the safety of the travelling public and the workforce.
Whilst no major delays are expected, motorists should allow extra time for journeys, pay attention to traffic signs and show due care while passing through the works.
The works will be carried out and supervised by BEAR Scotland.
Mearns Community Council chairman David Nelson said: "I welcome any initiative that will improve safety, but our over riding feeling is that there must ultimately be a grade-separated junction.
"This is the only place along the entire length of the A90 where an A road meets an A road and there is no grade-separation. Why should this be? The volume of traffic is increasing as anyone who tries to use that junction between 7am and 9am or 4pm and 7pm will testify.
"We as a community council have had no notification that work was going to start but we have known what is planned for some time."
The campaign for grade-separation at Laurencekirk was in the headlines last week when Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson appeared before the petitions committee of the Scottish Parliament.
The minister seemed to pour cold water on any hopes of a flyover unless 1,000 more houses are built in Laurencekirk.
Mr Nelson said: "There is going to be significant development in Laurencekirk and contributions towards the junction will be expected from the developers.
"We have always maintained that the infrastructure of Laurencekirk must be sorted out first before any more houses are built.
"Kirkwood Homes and Scotia Homes have both acknowledged the fact that something has to be done with the junction and they are prepared to pay towards it.
"We want a junction before there is any more development and we also want a ring road or distributor road constructed to the west.
"I feel that Aberdeenshire Council should put this road in place first, then get the money back from the developers. This road would enable the servicing of developments to the north and south of the town. If it was not put in place, the traffic would all have to use the High Street, Blackiemuir Avenue or Station Road. I hope the members of Aberdeenshire Council back us on that."
Mr Nelson was bitterly critical of a statement attributed to the Transport Minister to the effect that there would have to be three deaths in three years on the A90 before grade-separation was introduced.
"I can't believe he said that. It was a ridiculous statement to make and a distasteful thing to say. It has no bearing on the requirement of the community of Laurencekirk to have safer access on to the A90."
Mr Nelson is in favour of the suggestion by Alex Johnstone MSP that the Laurencekirk junction be tagged on to the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route project.
"Developers and equipment will be on site for a multi-million pound job just a bit to the north and it would seem to me that a further 4 million for Laurencekirk would be small beer."
Mr Stevenson took issue with the reported 4.6 million cost of a flyover at Laurencekirk, saying it would be more, but Mr Nelson said that was the figure quoted to he and other community council members when they met the minister last year.
"It is not a lot to safeguard a community. It seems the minister is prepared to wait until there are developer contributions, but the developers are not going to stump up up front, they are going to need to sell houses first to get the money."
Mr Nelson had a recent conversation with Dr Christine Gore, Aberdeenshire's Director of Planning. She was of the opinion that infrastructure must come first before development and said there were ways and means that this could be achieved.
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Friday 10 February 2012
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