Concern sat nav is risk to safe path

Local councillors have called on the government to address “inappropriate use of sat nav”.

The issue was raised at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s environment and infrastructure committee on Monday, March 14.

Councillors were discussing a report on cycling, walking and safer routes projects.

A total of 18 projects are proposed over the next financial year 2022/23 in Perth and Kinross. These include: the provision of a shared use path connecting Coupar Angus Primary School with the main road; a shared use path linking St Madoes Primary School to the Madoch Centre; and the provision of a 2.5m wide shared use path connecting Perth’s Lade cycle path to Gillespie Crescent and Tulloch Primary School.

Strathallan councillor Tom Gray recently raised concern about drivers following sat nav between Braco and Muthill being directed off the A822 onto a“lethal”unclassified road.

At last week’s meeting the SNP councillor called for this back road to be made a green route for cycling and walking with a reduced speed limit of 40mph.

Cllr Gray told the environment and infrastructure committee:“It’s a sat nav priority route - but it’s also a cycle route. Cyclists come along from Gleneagles to the Braco end, they come up from Dunblane via Kinbuck to the Braco end and many of these cyclists come up this way and take the back road to Comrie.

“It’s an extremely busy route and it’s extremely busy because sat navs are sending people there. It’s a fast route and it’s fairly straight and sends a lot of people from Crieff to Dunblane a minute quicker than they would have if they stuck to the main route.

“It desperately needs to be covered as a green route. It’s also a footpath up to most of it for circular routes from Muthill.”

Kinross-shire Conservative councillor Mike Barnacle said:“I really feel the government should intervene and we should - as a council - press the government on really addressing this issue. It causes so many problems. Unless there’s a change in the law and government intervention that will continue.”

Senior engineer Brian Cargill said: “We have no control over sat nav companies putting any kind of information in unfortunately. It’s a common concern that’s raised with us that unsuitable vehicles are using routes that they shouldn’t be.

“The unfortunate thing is the nature of Perth and Kinross is as a rural community as much as we don’t think these large vehicles should be on these roads, they may be servicing farms or whatever community they are heading to.”

SNP councillor Andrew Parrott said:“For me the inappropriate use of sat nav whether it relates to car drivers or HGV drivers amounts to careless or dangerous driving depending on the circumstances.”