Gets the OK
The Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) will go ahead after a majority of PKC councillors voted to press ahead with plans.
The £118 million route was by far the most expensive of the five main capital projects discussed at a virtual full council budget meeting on Wednesday.
PKC’s only Labour councillor tabled an amendment to take “a short pause” on the project until councillors knew how much was left “in the piggybank” after COVID-19.
Putting forward his amendment Carse of Gowrie councillor Alasdair Bailey said it was “a road into the unknown for Perth and Kinross.”
The Labour representative said: “We now face a completely new reality compared to when the models were created that gave us the £1 billion investment figure.
“Millions more working from home, growing unemployment driving up the gap between the richest and poorest, and a social care crisis are just three of the things that undoubtedly mean that the previously calculated upsides of this road need rethinking.”
Independent Highland Perthshire councillor Xander McDade seconded the amendment. He suggested looking at the recent Borders railway project - a similar sum could build a railway between Perth and Blairgowrie.
But SNP Perth City Centre councillor Andrew Parrott – a keen railway historian – said it was not fair to compare the cost of the Tweedbank railway with a railway to Blairgowrie.
He said the earthworks at Tweedbank were already in place in the 1860/70s when it was built.
Cllr Parrott added that while “not a natural supporter of road projects” he felt the CTLR was “vital.”
Conservative councillor Angus Forbes argued against his fellow Carse of Gowrie councillor’s plea to pause plans saying they had already been paused for 20 years.
He said: “Please, let’s stop kicking the can down the road. We’re elected to make decisions so let’s just get on with it.”
SNP Strathtay councillor Grant Laing said he welcomed Cllr Forbes’ “road to Damascus-like conversion” on his views on the CTLR – which had turned around within the space of a week.
Fellow SNP councillor Tom Gray was also in support.
He said: “Fundamental to any city is that through traffic is diverted round rather than through its centre.
“Frankly the CTLR project is an open wound waiting to be stitched and sealed with recovery to follow like a pothole in the road, a broken fence, a hole in the wall, a jar of jam without an airtight lid – any of such things which lead to unwelcome consequences.”
He said even if more people worked from home, he did not think the effects of COVID would diminish the amount of heavy goods travelling through Perth.
Conservative Blairgowrie and Glens councillor Bob Brawn felt it was important to find a balance between helping the environment and the economic prosperity of Perth.
He said: “Doing nothing could allow Perth to just stagnate.”
Lib Dem City Centre councillor Peter Barrett called for “rapid progress and not constant scrutiny of the rearview mirror.”
He cited previous missed opportunities such as 1967 when Perth lost out to Stirling on being awarded a University.
SNP Almond and Earn councillor Henry Anderson said the canyon effect in Bridgend was “deeply damaging” to residents there.
Strathtay Conservative councillor Anne Jarvis said smaller villages were suffering “pretty heavy vehicles” going through at all times of day.
Addressing council officers, she said it was “time they hardballed” Transport Scotland, BEAR and the Scottish Government” and “told them to get their finger out” and sort out their side of the problem at Inveralmond and Broxden as PKC sorts out its side of the problem.
Fellow Strathtay SNP councillor Laing said he would “use his language slightly better than Cllr Jarvis” but agreed the CTLR would prevent about four to five miles of traffic from Inveralmond back to Luncarty every day around 3pm.
Lib Dem Strathmore councillor Lewis Simpson said he would have liked to see the millions spent on active travel instead.
Summing up, Cllr Murray Lyle said pausing the plans could jeopardise the £40 million Scottish Government grant funding secured as part of the Tay Cities Deal. (He hopes for the much-awaited deal to be “signed off well before Christmas.”)
Cllr Lyle told Cllrs Jarvis and Laing he had raised the issues around Inveralmond and Broxden with Michael Mathieson – and the transport secretary was “well aware.”
The Conservative council leader said: “This is a key moment in the story of Perth. I hope members will be able to show leadership and vision and be able to support this motion today. I fundamentally believe this vote is vital in Perth’s future prosperity.”
A total of 30 Conservative, Lib Dem and SNP councillors backed Cllr Lyle’s motion to press ahead. Five councillors - Bailey, Brock, McDade, Purves and Stewart - voted to pause until the full financial impact of COVID-19 became clear. Cllrs Barnacle and Simpson abstained. Cllr Harry Coates was absent.