Controversial rush hour traffic lights started operating on the north-east’s busiest road yesterday, sparking a mostly negative reaction from locals.
Commuters using the A90 Aberdeen to Fraserburgh route during its busiest spells of the day will be held up at Balmedie as part of an initiative to make the road safer, while work continues on the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.
Transport Scotland is closing the Eigie Road junction, to the south of the coastal village, as a new grade-separated junction is built at the site, and placing temporary traffic lights at its Old Road intersection.
The measures caused huge tailbacks yesterday and could remain at the junction for as long as eight months as work on the AWPR is completed.
The lights will be in operation during peak times from 6am until 9.30am and 3.30pm to 7pm, and, yesterday, people who live along the length of the road voiced their opinions.
Ellon-based oil and gas worker Jason Valley, 39, said: “I think it is one of those [things] where it is going to be a bit of short term pain for long term gain. It is a shame it has to play like that. A few years ago, they did something similar at Foveran and it caused havoc.
“It is for the greater good of the community. Whoever it is looking after the project, if it [traffic congestion] is that bad, maybe they’ll have to look an alternative in a couple of months time and have a rethink.”
Pupil support assistant Eleanor MacConnell, from Balmedie, said the traffic would be “horrendous” but the road would be “safer” as a result.
She added: “We do need traffic measures, as people don’t let us out in the morning. We find people are sitting in the left hand lane instead of moving to let us out, it is taking longer.
“It will annoy people but it needs to be done.”
One Ellon man said angrily: “Infrastructure and Aberdeenshire – they don’t work together. The traffic around here is the worst, I go into Aberdeen and I think it is just a total shambles.
“Hopefully it will be better when the AWPR comes. But people are going to be very annoyed.”
However, one Cruden Bay woman, who travels into the city for work, stated: “I would absolutely say it will be a complete pain that is not necessary at all.”
Dyce garden centre worker, Irene Hunter, added: “There are traffic lights everywhere really. I think it is okay if it is not permanent.”
Fraserburgh woman Amanda Anderson, 25, said: “They’ll cause tailbacks, of course. But people have been made aware about them.
“It’s not like it’s being sprung out of nowhere. People will just have to leave earlier. The only problem, as always, will be impatient people.”
The A90 is being upgraded between Balmedie and Tipperty as part of the £745million Aberdeen bypass project, spearheaded by Transport Scotland.
The road will be dualled to Balmedie, with a completion date of spring 2017.
A 50mph speed restriction is already in place at Balmedie, with average speed cameras installed but not yet switched on.
A Transport Scotland spokesman argued the traffic light system was required to “optimise the safety of road users”.
He said: “All traffic management is planned and coordinated through a review panel, chaired by the contractor and attended by Transport Scotland representatives, Traffic Scotland, both local councils, and Police Scotland.
He added the closure of the south junction means traffic accessing the A90 will have to do so from the Old Road junction, and the traffic lights would be required to make the situation safe.
However, one Ellon motorist – caught up in the A90 tailbacks yesterday – said the situation would soon become “hell on wheels” when pupils return to school.
He added: “The queue was down to the Cock and Bull when I got there at about 7am. I was stuck at the lights, and then of course you are stuck behind the same line of cars as you go through the 50mph zone.”
