Anger as A90 Ellon to Peterhead will not be dualled
The Transport Minister confirmed the news in the Scottish Parliament today
The Scottish Government has confirmed that it will not dual the A90 between Ellon and Peterhead, despite years of action from campaigners.
North-east MSP, Liam Kerr, has branded the decision "deplorable" and said the route is being treated as the "forgotten road of Scotland" by the SNP after Alex Salmond said in 2007 that works would be approved within his first 100 days in office.
16 years later, Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth admitted that a plan to dual the road was considered in December, but that it will not be moving forward at this stage.
Over the last three years, seven people have lost their lives on the route while a further 49 people have been injured in collisions.
Reasons behind the decision
Speaking in the Scottish Parliament, Ms Gilruth said:
“The second strategic transport projects review, the final report which was published in December last year, did consider proposals to dual the A90 North of Ellon.
“However after an extensive evidence-based process with substantial stakeholder and public consultation, dualling was not recommended.
“Instead measures to improve road safety, reliability and adapting the trunk road network to deal with the challenge of climate change were considered.”
Anger at the decision
Conservative MSP Mr Kerr commented that he was "disgusted" and "angered" at the decision to reject plans to dual the road.
He said:
“Under this SNP Government, there is absolutely no question that the A90 between Ellon and Peterhead is Scotland’s forgotten road.
“We have had a terrifying number of collisions along the route including at the Toll of Birness, many of which have tragically resulted in lives being lost.
“But the SNP’s attitude towards the families and communities impacted by the treacherous state of this road is deplorable."
Mr Kerr added that dualling the A90 would make a big difference to improving safety while also bringing benefits to the economy.
He said:
“Yet despite such strong favour from the public for dualling the route, the SNP Government would rather focus on the Central Belt and kick an upgrade into the long grass to please their Green coalition partners."