A plan has been unveiled to spend up to £30million to finally end traffic gridlock in Elgin.
Moray Council has produced a new masterplan containing dozens of potential congestion-busting changes to the town’s road network.
More than 800 residents contributed to the Elgin Transport Strategy, and half of the responses said “traffic and congestion” was the biggest problem in the area.
There are fears the issue is only going to get worse in coming years, with the town poised to undergo a population boom as 2,700 more homes are built by 2030.
Local authority officials believe that will mean an extra 15,000 car trips into Elgin every day – and say radical steps must be taken to avert a “significant deterioration” in conditions.
The strategy – which itself cost £100,000 – was launched by local transport bosses in June.
The bill for a string of 30 “core interventions” is tipped to reach between £20million and £30million.
Measures which could benefit motorists include creating a new link road near the centre of the town, between Ashgrove Road and Maisondieu Road.
Vehicle movement around schools could be restricted at peak times, and several busy junctions have been earmarked for improvement.
Under the scheme, Moss Street could be converted into a one-way road which only allows northbound traffic.
And the council believes that creating more cycle lanes and improving public transport will have a drastic effect on congestion.
Elgin City South councillor Graham Leadbitter said it was “clearly important” that the town braces itself for the future by devising a new approach to managing traffic.
His fellow ward member, John Divers, said moves to redress traffic troubles had been required for about 20 years.
He welcomed the strategy, but said some elements would require further work.
Councillor Divers said: “As far back as 2000, Transport Scotland advised the council that this sort of work was required in Elgin.
“Our infrastructure is not fit for purpose, and now is the time for action.
“So I support this strategy, but I have some reservations over its proposals.
“If Moss Street was to become one-way, then we would need to ensure that it doesn’t become a speed trap.
“And I have some concerns that these measures do not adequately address the build-up of traffic in the south of Elgin.”
If the scheme is approved, some changes are expected to come into effect as early as 2018.
Longer term proposals factor in the possibility of a bypass being created around Elgin as part of the A96 dualling project.
Councillors will meet on Wednesday to discuss the plan of action, and have been asked to dedicate a further £35,000 towards building a business case for the road improvements.
The authority’s head of transport, Nicola Moss, said: “The strategy would improve access to Elgin for all, and improve journey time and reliability.
“Fundamentally, it provides significantly improved network capacity compared to a do-nothing scenario.
“With no improvements, there will be a significant deterioration in traffic conditions.”
She added that the authority could seek contributions from developers to cover some of the costs involved.
If approved, the document will go out to public consultation between the end of this week and February.
RAF Lossiemouth is expected to employ an additional 500 personnel in the next few years, as the base expands to host a fleet of new Poseidon spy planes and an incoming Typhoon squadron.
And the council is forging ahead with plans to create a £12million “gateway to Elgin” with hotels, houses and shops on 76 acres of land at Barmuckity.
Developer Springfield Properties is working on a massive expansion in the south of Elgin, which will create 2,500 new homes across the next 40 years.
