Bittersweet feelings over town centre roadworks

TOWN CENTRE traffic in Forfar is to be affected by major roadworks at the end of this week.

A section of West High Street is to be resurfaced from Castle Street to the Bank of Scotland.

However, there is bad news for fed-up drivers who have been told that there is no money to repair a bumpy stretch between the bank and the West Port this year.

The project announcement has been met by a mix of relief and disappointment by residents and businessfolk who use the busy stretch

It has deteriorated since taking a major battering in recent harsh winters and one town centre shopkeeper said the resurfacing was long overdue.

But he said it was frustrating that a stretch of little more than 100 yards would be left out.

Council roads chiefs have admitted that the more involved — and expensive — section of road will only be tackled next year if budgets allow.

The authority has said that to minimise the impact on businesses, the latest works will start this Saturday evening and are due to be completed on the evening of Tuesday October 23.

Traffic will be managed with a one-way system from Castle Street towards theWest Port lights.

Traffic heading east will be diverted via Craig o’ Loch Road and Castle Street to prevent traffic building up and backing into the West Port lights.

All on-street parking will be suspended from Castle Street to the Bank of Scotland for the duration of the works.

Access to car parks at New Road, the Vennel, the Post Office sorting office and the Bank of Scotland will also be restricted.

The council also confirmed its intention to resurface the section in front of the police station next year — finance permitting.

“This section needs deeper construction work with kerbing and will take around four weeks,” a spokesman said.

“Separating the two schemes will allow the council to more effectively address the traffic management involved for this section of road involving fewer businesses.”