A “pothole-plagued” stretch of an Aberdeenshire road will be repaired at the end of the summer after fears were raised it could cause a “serious blowout”.
Transport Scotland has vowed to repair the slip road at Balmedie on the A90 Aberdeen to Peterhead road.
North East Conservative MSP Liam Kerr and Ellon councillor Gillian Owen welcomed the news after raising their concerns directly with the agency.
Mr Kerr said the southbound slip road was in an “unacceptable condition” and that it forced motorists to “dodge uneven road surfaces”.
The MSP also argued that the road should be given the same amount of attention as the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh.
Now, Transport Scotland has confirmed repairs will be carried out at the end of summer.
Last night Mr Kerr – who has previously spoken out about the poor state of the north-east’s roads, even measuring the size of the large potholes at Netherley – said: “It’s positive that action is being taken to repair the potholes which have appeared at the Balmedie slip road.
“The current state of the road is simply not acceptable especially when thousands of vehicles use it on a daily basis.
‘Motorists are having to dodge the uneven road surface’
“The stretch is plagued with potholes and I have seen first-hand the consequences this is having on motorists who are having to dodge the uneven road surface to avoid a blowout.
“The A90 and nearby AWPR should be treated exactly the same as the M8 between Glasgow and Edinburgh, with regular, monthly checks being made on the road surface.
“I will continue to monitor the situation to make sure Transport Scotland sticks to its promise of repairing the road by the end of summer.”
Mrs Owen added: “This part of the road wasn’t upgraded when the AWPR was built so it’s good to see action is being taken to address the issue.
“Residents across the north-east rely on the A90 as the main route to the likes of Peterhead, Fraserburgh and Ellon so it’s imperative the road is kept in an adequate condition.
Repairs will keep motorists safe
“These much-needed repairs will help keep motorists safe as the summer comes to an end and the harsher weather conditions start to occur.”
In a letter confirming the works, Transport Scotland said: “The AWPR/B-T project is a major infrastructure project being delivered by Transport Scotland in partnership with Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council.
“In December 2014, Aberdeen Roads Limited was awarded the design, build, finance and operate contract and has appointed Balfour Beatty Regional Civil Engineering to carry out the Operation and Maintenance (O&M) of the project network until the end of the concession period in 2047.
“As part of its ongoing programme of works, ARL has identified that areas on the southbound carriageway between Balmedie and Blackdog junction require resurfacing and this has been planned for late summer 2021.
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