‘We face thousands of extra miles on journeys’ FearsTay Link Road will mean longer drive for some
Residents of a Perthshire community say plans for the controversial Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) could leave them driving tens of thousands of extra miles every year.
The local authority wants to stop up Stormontfield Road just 240 metres away from where it currently joins the A93 as part of its vaunted £118 million link road project.
But people in Stormontfield say shutting the road at its southernmost end will leave them with no choice but to use a far longer section of the CTLR to reach Scone once it is ready.
And resident Donald McKerracher reckons this will lead to locals having to drive an extra 1.44 miles every time they go to work, go shopping, attend church or take their kids to school.
He has told PKC in an objection to its latest planning application for the scheme: “The unilateral proposal to stop up the U88, at the new Scone Palace access, will involve me travelling an additional distance of 1.44 miles per trip ... in order to reach Old Scone.
“A survey has been conducted within the Stormontfield community, with a 55 per cent response rate, which indicates that as a community we would in perpetuity be involved in travelling an additional distance annually of over 86,000 miles with its consequential effect in both monetary and environmental terms.”
Mr McKerracher also believes the proposed closure will have an even graver impact on the environment as thousands of drivers who normally use Stormontfield Road to get to Perth Racecourse and Scone Palace will have to take the same longer diversion as well.
He goes on to say in his objection: “The transport statement submitted with this application clearly states ... ‘the proposed CTLR project is considered to have a highly beneficial impact’. The unilateral decision to stop up the U88 is clearly not a ‘beneficial effect’.
“Traffic from central Perth, Dundee, Bridgend, Kinnoull, Scone and potentially even Edinburgh intending to attend the races, events at Perth Racecourse or events [at] Scone Palace ... will require to travel this additional 1.44 miles due to Stormontfield Road being stopped off to vehicular traffic.”
And he concludes: “Consent for the overall project should not be granted until such time as the proposed stopping up of Stormontfield Road South is deleted.”
Responding to his remarks, a PKC spokesperson said: “We received a lot of feedback from members of the public during the extensive consultations throughout 2018 and 2019; and although we have taken on board as many comments and concerns as possible, it is not possible to take all of these on board.
“The CTLR will provide a better and safer access to Perth Racecourse, the caravan park and to Stormontfield than exists at present.
“Once the CTLR is in place there will be no need for the junction from the A93 into Stormontfield Road, as access can be taken via the A93 and the new roundabout, providing a new and safer access route to and from Stormontfield.
“This section of Stormontfield Road will remain accessible for non-motorised users and for vehicular traffic use during major events in the area, with a temporary traffic management plan in place.”
The spokesperson added: “As part of the legal process for the project the council will promote a stopping up order for the section of Stormontfield Road to be closed to vehicular traffic; as part of this process members of the public will have a further opportunity to comment on [or] object to this specific issue.”
Locals have until December 13 to send PKC their views on the planning application.