The following letter was written by Mike Barnacle to Jim Valentine, Executive Director (Environment) at Perth & Kinross Council in relation to the lack of funding for the A977.
Dear Jim,
NEED FOR ‘MAJOR’ MITIGATION MEASURES
AND LACK OF PKC FUNDING FOR A977 (THE FORGOTTEN ROAD)
I am moved to write to you on the above subject, which you will be familiar with over a long period, following a recent meeting of Kinross-shire ward councillors and the failure of two recent budget proposals that would have addressed the issue; I enclose a recent letter from a constituent in Crook of Devon that mirrors concerns over the years from residents in the villages of West Kinross-shire that straddle this busy strategic road.
As you are aware, the A977 was de-trunked against Council advice in 1996 and it would appear there is absolutely no chance that the transport authorities will re-consider this status. In any event, re-trunking may send the wrong message that it is a suitable road for HGV traffic (notwithstanding their increasing useage of SAT Nav). You will also be aware that PKC have argued, in support of the community, for major mitigation measures to be put in place; this was done at the Public Inquiry in November 2004 into the new Kincardine (now Clackmannanshire) Bridge, in 2009 at a petition to the Scottish Government signed by over 1100 residents and is now reinforced by Para 7.1.18 of our adopted Local Development Plan (LDP) of 3rd February 2014 (Introduced by the Reporters Unit following local member representation). The Transport Authorities originally suggested the paltry sum of £87,000, later increased to £150,000, for minor mitigation measures for the A977 in relation to a bridge costing £120 million.
When the Reporter to the Public Inquiry ruled that this level of funding was woefully inadequate and should be increased, I took the case to the former Transport Minister, Tavish Scott MSP with the assistance of the community and our former MSP George Reid, securing an offer of £250,000 to cover ‘minor’ measures. In October 2006, PKC’s Enterprise & Infrastructure Committee accepted the Minister’s offer (not implemented until after 2009 following disagreements within the community on how best to use this inadequate sum) and instructed PKC officers to pursue the funding shortfall for the major measures evaluated at £750,000 for three large roundabouts at Blairingone, Drum and Turfhills.
Since the failed petition, I have seen no evidence of this funding shortfall being pursued with the Scottish Executive; it is well down TACTRAN’s list of priorities and doesn’t feature in the Council’s capital budget. As far as I’m concerned this is a totally unacceptable situation.
There have been a number of serious accidents involving HGV’s on this road, one a lorry crashing into a house in Crook of Devon, another lorry ending up in a field opposite the village hall where local children walk to school and two accidents involving fuel tankers in Drum that had major repercussions for residents, let alone the drivers (fuel tankers from Grangemouth refinery regularly use this road to access the M90).
It is clear that the Government will not fund the major measures required and I cannot even get Transport Scotland to review their signage (the M90 at Clackmannan Bridge is signed to be accessed via the A977 when the authorities have stated that the preferred route for traffic from the west central belt to the M90 should be the A9 or A985).
Local perception, which I share, is that there is an increasing speed and volume of HGV’s using the road and I would like a survey done on this. It is also perceived that there is a saving of time and hence fuel costs from so doing, hence the need for major measures to slow such traffic.
As you know, the roundabout at Turfhills can now be provided by developer contribution through planning gain. During discussions prior to adoption of our LDP (both the Main Issues Report & Proposed Plan had ignored the A977) a proposal to improve the junction of the A977 with the A823 in Powmill by introducing a large roundabout carried community support but the Reporter rejected a Masterplan for the village, which local members had supported.
I therefore state the continuing case for three large roundabouts on the A977 at Blaringone, Drum & Powmill to slow and potentially reduce traffic. It is incumbent upon the Council to make the necessary budgetary provision which was estimated in 2009 at £1.5 million.
There have been several attempts over the years to get PKC to make some budget provision for the road and all have failed. I was particularly dismayed when Charles Haggart was instructed to cease work on an outline business case in November 2013, which local members had requested be prepared. In the last two budget discussions, proposals to find additional resources from uncommitted reserves or the use of recurring loan charges (during an unprecedented era of low minimal interest rates that continues) have been rejected.
I note, however, that PKC did increase local road repairs in 2014 by use of the loan charges budget and reducing recurring headroom, also borrowing recently £10million for favoured investment projects from the Public Works Loan Body and a London Borough Authority at very favourable interest rates.
I suggest that all that is lacking here is the political will to address, as a priority, the funding shortfall that has been evident since 2004 and which, whilst excluded from the capital project matrix of submissions for 2017/18 to 2019/20 because it has been forgotten, is very much seen as a priority by the people of the villages in West Kinross-shire that I represent.
I request that a meeting of all those circulated be convened after the summer recess to try and agree how to address satisfactorily these forgotten issues outlined above.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Mike Barnacle
(Independent Member for Kinross-shire)
P.S. (1) As you know, I possess a large file of background correspondence from the community, Cllr Robertson and myself over many years to support this letter should you, or those circulated, require clarification on the points made.
(2) My fellow ward councillors will hopefully endorse this request.
Circulation List
John Symon, Head of Finance, PKC
Charles Haggart, Roads Service Manager, PKC
Alexander Deans, Senior Transportation Officer, PKC
Cllr Ian Miller, Leader of the Administration, PKC
Cllr John Kellas, Convenor of Enterprise & Infrastructure Committee, PKC
PKC Ward Councillors (Kinross-shire) Dave Cuthbert, Joe Giacopazzi & Willie Robertson
Kevin Borthwick, Secretary of Fossoway Community Council
David Colliar, Chair of Kinross Community Council