Transport Scotland officials met with north-east residents yesterday as the campaign to dual the A90 Aberdeen to Fraserburgh road gains momentum.
Alison Irvine and David Torrance from the government agency hosted two public meetings in Peterhead and Longhaven to hear the concerns of local people.
Organised by councillors Gillian Owen, Tom Malone and Alan Gardiner, who run the Why Stop At Ellon campaign, the focus of discussion was upgrading the stretch of A90 between Ellon and Peterhead.
Tens of thousands of cars travel on the single carriageway route every week.
Mr Malone said: “The road between Peterhead and Toll of Birness is getting worse and worse and worse. Whatever statistics you have at your disposal, there is no way in my opinion that it’s a normal volume of traffic.”
Ms Irvine said Transport Scotland figures show that every day 13,000 vehicles travel on the three-mile stretch of A90 from Ellon to Toll of Birness. Some then branch off towards Mintlaw and Fraserburgh, but between 8,000 and 9,000 vehicles use the road to Peterhead.
Drawing the meeting at Longhaven to a close, Mrs Owen said: “The positive is Transport Scotland have spent the entire afternoon with us listening to everything you have to say. Your comments have been taken note of and we will be continuing the Why Stop At Ellon campaign.”
The discussions come as regional transport body Nestrans collates the results of a public consultation into infrastructure in the area.
Last night a Scottish Government spokesman said: “Transport Scotland has had useful meetings with local communities to hear their views and this information will be considered by Nestrans as they take forward their appraisal which will consider the strategic transport connections on the A90 from Fraserburgh and Peterhead to Aberdeen.
“We will await the report’s findings with interest.”
The spokesman added that Transport Scotland is countering “years of under-investment in north-east transport infrastructure” with the largest new roads project currently under construction in the UK – the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route and Balmedie to Tipperty project.
