By Graham Brown

DIVERTED DRIVERS have been criticised for turning a rural Angus road into a racetrack.

While work continues to soften an S-bend at the blackspot Hillend corner just east of Forfar on the B9128, traffic has been re-routed via Craichie and Bowriefauld.

The country route is used by commuters from Arbroath, Carnoustie and Letham, but councillors have condemned the speed of drivers using the diversion and the toll it is taking on the road.

Angus councillor Donald Morrison said a speed limit reduction to 30 miles an hour and new signs in an extended area of Bowriefauld was a welcome move, but some motorists seemed to be ignoring the rules.

“It is especially worrying because there is not much pavement in Bowriefauld and the road is especially busy just now because it is being used as a diversion for the Hillend junction works,” he said.

“The weather has also affected the road between Bowriefauld and Craichie and the roads department have done their best to fill as many potholes as possible, but they re-appear.

“What would be helpful is if some drivers would treat this as the rural road which it is and not as a motorway given the speed of some of the vehicles I see going along there,” added Mr Morrison.

Arbroath West councillor Alex King said he welcomed the drop to 30mph, but asked roads officials to also consider a 40mph slow down buffer zone similar to that which has been put in place at the gateway to other Angus villages.

“The 30 as you enter Bowrie from the south is in a fairly difficult position in that you are negotiating the bridge at the foot of the hill. I wonder it we might consider the early warning 40 zone, and maybe also get flashing beacons up the brae a bit just to make sure we slow people down,” he said.