Residents hit by flood protection work claim lack of consultation

Residents in Almondbank who face a lengthy detour during an 18-week road closure have complained about the lack of consultation.

The council say the closure of the main road through Lochty which began yesterday is essential to allow work to proceed on the multi-millionpound flood protection scheme.

Apart from facing a six-mile round trip into Perth, local people say the volume of traffic being forced past the primary school could endanger children.

“I am very disappointed at the level of consultation,” said one local parent.

A council spokesman responded: “Communication and engagement with local communities on the planned road closure for the Almondbank flood protection scheme first began in October 2016.

“While the exact requirements have evolved as the project developed, the conversation has continued through public meetings, project newsletters, public notices in local media, and online.

“These have provided information on the requirement for the work and the impact these will have on the road network, as and when we have had it. The most recent public meeting on March 7 focussed largely on the road closure.

“We appreciate that road closures can be inconvenient, which is why we always consider whether there are alternative ways to safely carry out the work required.

“Where there is no alternative to a road closure, as is the situation for the flood protection works in Almondbank, then the recommended diversion will follow a route which is most suitable for the volume and type of traffic normally present.”