The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
Junction may put elderly lives at risk
FAILURE TO upgrade a notorious Mearns blackspot could put elderly lives at risk, a report has revealed.
The study released by Nestrans raises concerns that a predicted spike in the number of over-60s using the Laurencekirk junction on the A90 could lead to an increase in right-turn accidents.
Angus North and Mearns MSP Nigel Don claimed the document showed Transport Scotland and Scottish Ministers had not been provided with full information about the junction.
The reports stated: “The unpublished report entitled ‘Dual carriageway at grade priority junctions’, prepared by TRL for Transport Scotland, highlights that elderly drivers experience greater problems carrying out right-turn movements across traffic flows as their reaction times are lower and visual deterioration more prominent.
“In this particular section of the A90, three of the five right-turn drivers involved in injury accidents were over 60 years of age.
“The projected increase in the over 60s living in this area may, therefore, exacerbate this issue over time.”
Mr Don said the report from the industry body now provided “solid, significant new evidence” to support development of the site and called for Transport Minister Keith Brown to press for an urgent re-examination of the case for a safer crossing.
Mr Don said: “Off icial guidance dictates that if we were building a junction to handle this level of traffic, it wouldn’t look like any of the crossings at Laurencekirk.
“The assumption has been that traffic at this location would grow at a low rate, but in fact, the rate of growth has been much higher.”
Laurencekirk is zoned to double in size by 2023 and significant increases in the population in other areas such as Edzell, Brechin and Montrose are also expected, all of which would generate more traffic.
Nestrans noted the estimates of traffic to be generated by sites earmarked for new industrial development appear vastly underestimated - around 10 times lower than they should be.
The impact that the new Mearns Academy in Laurencekirk will have was also flagged up as the building will be able to accommodate an additional 200 pupils on the school roll.
The report concluded: “This scale of predicted increase in traffic flow in future years is well in excess of that considered within previous studies commissioned by Transport Scotland and indicates that further consideration of junction upgrades on the A90 trunk road in the Laurencekirk area at the earliest opportunity may be warranted.” VISITORS TO Glamis Castle yesterday walked in a blind man’s shoes.
Volunteers from Guide Dogs Scotland were at the castle to take people on a blindfolded royal mile led by one of the charity’s dogs.
The event was held as part of Guide Dogs Week 2012, which finished yesterday.
In addition to the walks,
There were 16 players of 12 and under, and notable junior performances included — Murad Abdulla (12), from Aberdeen, Euan Gray (11) of North Juniors, and Vagif Ramazanov ( 9), from Aberdeen. participants tried shorter strolls with the dogs and interactive tasks using spectacles that simulate partial sight.
A spokesman for the charity said: “The aim is to help more people understand what issues blind and partially-sighted people have to overcome on a daily basis to enjoy the same freedom of movement as everyone else.
“Guide Dogs Scotland encourages members of the public to develop their own challenge to raise money for Guide Dogs.
“Activities don’t have to be complicated. People could get a group of friends together and have dinner in the dark, organise a karaoke party and sing in blind fold, or organise a pub quiz with sensory rounds that people do in blindfold.”