The Courier & Advertiser (Fife Edition)
Objectors urged to help speed up A90 safety project
Local landowners threatening to hold up a badly-needed road improvement scheme have been urged to drop their complaints in case the delay costs lives.
Laurencekirk resident Jill Fotheringham has been campaigning for more than 16 years for improvements at the junction between the A90 Aberdeen to Dundee road and the A937 Laurencekirk to Montrose route.
The stretch of the A90 has been the site of many accidents and near-misses, including fatalities.
But there are fears work to create a safety-boosting flyover could be delayed by a public inquiry if people continue to oppose it.
One of the objectors, Aberdeenshire Council, has this week signalled it could soon be withdrawing complaint.
Ms Fotheringham – a florist who has spearheaded the fight for a gradeseparated crossing since she saw the devastating impact on the family of a young driver killed there in 2004 – has urged the three other objectors, who are landowners, to allow the project to proceed.
She said: “I think it’s absolutely fantastic news if Aberdeenshire Council will be pulling its objection.
“A public inquiry could hold the whole thing up for years to come, and if that goes ahead it would just be devastating for the community.
“So if Aberdeenshire Council’s issues are off the table that’s brilliant, and hopefully the other three complaints from objectors its can be addressed quickly, making it so there’s no need at all for a public inquiry.
“I’m sure these objections are legitimate, but if they could possibly find it within themselves to reach an agreement, they can help save lives.”
Between October and December 2019, 1 ,7 5 3 motorists were caught over the 50mph speed limit on the A90 as it passes Laurencekirk.
A £24 million flyover is currently in the works by Tr a n s p o r t Scot land , however earlier this year it was revea led four objections had been made.
It has now emerged that Aberdeenshire Council and Nestrans believe a solution can be found to their concerns of allowing safe access to the homes south of the Oatyhill area and the council appears poised to drop its reservations.
Ms Fotheringham has been campaigning since the death of 20-year-old Jamie Graham in 2004.
A council spokeswoman said: “A b e r d e e n s h i r e Council and Nestrans have committed to support the project and anticipate a technical solution can be found to deliver the long awaited improvement, but also maintain safe access to the dwellings south of Oatyhill.”
A spokeswoman for Transport Scotland said the Scottish Government is committed to completing the scheme “as soon as p o s s i b l e ”. She added: “Should we be unsuccessful in removing all objections a public local inquiry may be required.”