PARENTS OF children who attend Newport Primary have expressed deep concern over proposals they feel could bring even more traffic past a school where there are already criticisms of driver behaviour.

The issue was raised by Will Fuller, of the parent council, during a public inquiry into plans to close off two gaps in the dual carriageway which carries traffic on the final section of the A92 to and from Dundee.

In evidence to the inquiry Dr Fuller said that it surely “goes against all the principles of civilised society” to approve a move that will increase the risk of primary age children being involved in accidents.

The parent council fears that Transport Scotland plans to close the gaps at Station Brae and Inverdovat in a bid to cut out right hand turns across the dual carriageway will bring even more vehicles past the school.

The witness said that every child that walks to and from school must cross Cupar Road—some of them twice on the way to school and twice on the way home.

He added that traffic volumes on Cupar Road have led to a number of minor accidents, and had children been present there would undoubtedly have been serious injury.

“The majority of drivers using Cupar Road do not drive cautiously—they speed.”

He said a recent survey had found that approximately 1600 cars per day use the road, and the speed limit is exceeded at all times of day, regardless of whether children are present or not.

“A third of parents responding to our survey told us that they chose to drive to school along Cupar Road because they did not consider it a safe route to walk” he said.

A member of the local objectors group, John Lindsay, said that over 30 years he estimated that he had personally performed the right hand turn at Station Brae in excess of 10,000 times, and there had been no real improvement to the junction configuration since the original construction for the Tay Bridge access in 1967.

He said that if the same road was being designed today, design standards will be more onerous, and steps could be taken for fundamental improvement.

The group’s key points, he said, were that the gaps should not be closed, visibility should be improved, vegetation should be maintained, or replaced with hard landscaping, slip lanes should be remodelled, pedestrian safety should be improved, and a speed limit reduction should be considered.

Another group member, Moira Bell, said that dual carriageway presents several dangers, including the unenforced 70mph limit which leads to illegal speeding with 14% of north-bound vehicles recorded exceeding the speed limit.

A third member of the group, David Chinery, said that closure has been the only objective of Transport Scotland. He also said the evidence is clear that closure is not favoured within the local community.

The inquiry continues.