By Richard Burdge

CLAIMS THAT the new Kincardine bridge will have little impact on traffic volumes along the A977 have been described as “manifestly absurd” by the Friends of Rural Kinross-shire (FORK).

The group wrote to all members of Perth and Kinross Council on traffic issues, and local councillor Michael Barnacle has backed their stance calling the A977 “a forgotten road”.

FORK chairman Frank Wellman in his letter said, “Our concerns are that the Scottish Executive is dealing with the Forth crossings in a piecemeal way and we would strongly urge you to support our view that the Kincardine bridge and the A977 is part of the strategic road network in eastern Scotland.”

He goes on to assert that “the A977 is a crucial alternative route when there are restrictions on the Forth Bridge, and such restrictions are likely to be increasingly frequent for a number of years.

“Furthermore, traffic volumes will increase significantly when the new Kincardine bridge and Kincardine bypass are opened.

“Traffic mitigation measures are needed to ensure the safety and welfare of all road users and particularly in implementing the Scottish Executive safer routes to school initiative in this area.”

Mr Wellman said that at a meeting with transport minister Tavish Scott, at which they were represented, the Trunk Roads Authority maintained the new Kincardine bridge would have little impact on traffic volumes—something they vehemently disagreed with.

Mr Barnacle, who was also at the meeting, said, “The A977 appears to be ‘a forgotten road’ (de-trunked against Perth and Kinross Council wishes) but is a major strategic diversionary route at times of Forth Road Bridge restrictions.”

He said that the Perth and Kinross Council had a costed package of measures totalling £1 million which they had requested for the road between the M90 and Blairingone, designed to make the route less attractive to HGVs.

They want to see these measures implemented before the new bridge is in place and although there has been an increase in funding of £250,000 from the Scottish Executive, Mr Barnacle said this fell “significantly short” of ministerial assurances he had been given.

Welcoming his council colleagues’ unanimous backing on Wednesday of a motion calling for the scrapping of tolls on the Tay and Forth bridges, Councillor Barnacle said he hoped it would prove a catalyst for further action by the Scottish Executive to “produce the strategy and infrastructure for the east coast estuary crossings that we so urgently need”.

Mr Barnacle said he would be writing to Tavish Scott and enterprise minister Nicol Stephen and other politicians outlining his and FORK’s concerns.