Councillors split over town’s dual carriageway project

A DIVIDE over Arbroath active travel proposals to transform the town-splitting A92 dual carriageway has resulted in a bid to halt the multi-million-pound scheme being blocked.

The town was a big winner in a July Sustrans funding announcement, being awarded almost £7 million for a scheme to improve pedestrian and cycle links with the aim of rejoining the two sides of Arbroath separated by the key road.

But as councillors considered the timetable for the ambitious scheme, long-serving town representative Alex King said the project would cost the authority millions of pounds it does not have.

Supporters of the scheme accused the Arbroath West and Letham SNP member of lacking vision over the “once-in-a-lifetime” concept.

In a full council information report, finance chiefs said they expect the authority’s contribution to the final project to be “significantly less” than a £5.4m shortfall for the £13.2m total cost.

Funding requirements will have to be factored into the 2020 council budget and twoyear construction works are due to start in 2021.

Mr King said: “All of the people I have spoken to are totally opposed to it. At the community council there has been nothing but a hostile reaction.

“This is money that we should not have applied for because we are going to have to find other money for this to go ahead.”

Mr King was told that because the item was an information report only there was no procedure available to force a vote.

Arbroath independent Lois

Speed said: “I’m not sure how representative your comments are of the 20-odd thousand people in Arbroath and the surrounding area.

“I have spoken to lots of constituents who are supportive and excited about winning this funding.”

Council leader and Arbroath independent David Fairweather said: “This is the time we should be looking to have a vision for the future of Arbroath.”

The scheme aims to transform the dual carriageway.