The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)
Call for permanent footbridge over A9
Campaigners are continuing to fight for a permanent crossing over the A9 at Gleneagles after a temporary footbridge was set up for visitors to the Solheim Cup.
One fed-up local erected a banner over the structure last week, proclaiming “bridges for locals not golf tourists”.
David Ramsay from Auchterarder hung the sign across the bridge, which has been installed by Transport Scotland at Gleneagles Station, as part of efforts to make the structure permanent.
David said: “I’m in my early 50s and I’ve had a few injuries and I’m not able to run as fast as I used to. I’ve had a few near misses and others I’ve spoken to have had a few near misses as well.
“They put the temporary bridge up in 2014 for the Ryder Cup. Locals were using it for another month after and we thought maybe they were going to keep it but then they took it down.”
Conservative councillor for Strathallan Crawford Reid has suggested Transport Scotland retain the temporary bridge for a threemonth trial so observers can monitor how many people use it. Mr Reid said: “This temporary bridge will have to be engineered to high standards so let’s leave it up for another three months and that will give us an idea of how many people genuinely want to use it.”
Transport Scotland said it had already installed £100,000 of improvements, including smart signs that warn drivers when a pedestrian is crossing the road, following the Ryder Cup.
Transport Scotland said: “We appreciate some will be disappointed this is a temporary structure. However evidence suggests that measures put in place following the Ryder Cup are the most appropriate. A package of improvement measures totalling £100,000 was invested as a solution following a thorough assessment of a range of options to improve accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists.”
The Solheim Cup event opened on Monday and continues until Sunday.