A Dundee charity says an upgraded rural A-road through Perthshire and Angus could become a bypass for the city.
Dundee Civic Trust believes improvements on the A94 would help ease congestion on the Swallow Roundabout and Kingsway.
The single-carriageway road connects the A90 near Forfar with Perth, running through the likes of Coupar Angus and Meigle, to the north of Dundee.
It also connects to the A9 north of Perth via the new Cross Tay Link Road.
The trust’s views come after months of delays and confusion caused by new markings and lights on the Swallow Roundabout at the western entrance to Dundee.
The issues have reignited the debate over whether Dundee should have a bypass.
Dundee Civic Trust backs upgrades to A94 in bypass debate
Donald Gordon, chair of Dundee Civic Trust, told The Courier the idea of a bypass “has got to be resurrected now” due to congestion on the Kingsway, and the fact the A90 “separates neighbourhoods” in the city.
He describes an upgrade of the A94 as a “no-brainer”.
He said: “It’s not the flavour of the decade to build big bypasses because it’s accepted that bypasses simply generate more traffic.
“The A94 is a perfectly good non-trunk road and, over the decades, Angus Council has bypassed the villages there.
“The biggest one is Glamis, which is completely bypassed.
“The only issue is Perth and Kinross Council would have to pay to do four short bypasses.
“Two of them are really small, but bigger bypasses would be needed for Coupar Angus and Meigle.”
The trust believes the A94 could be kept as a single carriageway with the new sections bypassing towns and villages.
It argues each of these bypass stretches would only be about one to 1.5 miles in length.
Mr Gordon added:Â “It’s a brilliant road because there are almost no junctions and not much farm traffic.
“We’re not suggesting all traffic goes on the A94, but it should be a useful signposted alternative.”
Perth and Kinross Council says upgrading A94 would come at ‘considerable cost’
The trust sent its proposals to the two councils and Transport Scotland in 2024.
Its document said: “The average distance by the A94 is about the same, but the A94 is easier, quicker, and cheaper in terms of fuel use, and may well be faster due to traffic congestion in Dundee.
“We believe it will have the significant advantage of removing from Dundee city much of the through traffic.”
However, a Perth and Kinross Council response – seen by The Courier – rebutted some of the charity’s claims.
It told Mr Gordon that bypassing the villages along the A94 would come at “considerable cost”, which would have to be met by the council, rather than Transport Scotland, due to it not being a trunk road.
The letter added: “The advantages of a dual carriageway would never be replicated.
“If the volume of traffic using the A90 was largely switched to the A94, the latter would not be able to cope.
“Our road engineers disagree that the measures you propose for upgrading the A94 are minor in nature.
“Your preferred option simply shifts an issue from one area to another without due consideration of the technical issues, the costs involved or the unintended impact on Perth, Coupar Angus and the Strathmore villages.”
Authorities respond to suggestions of upgrading A94
When contacted by The Courier, Perth and Kinross Council said its position had not changed since it wrote to Mr Gordon.
Meanwhile, Angus Council says it has no plans to carry out a major upgrade of the stretch of the A94 under its control.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “An upgrade to the A90 Kingsway or a possible Dundee northern bypass was considered in 2022, but the supporting transport appraisal concluded it would only bring modest benefits in comparison to the significant environmental and financial costs of a new road.
“The A94 is a local authority road and there are no plans to undertake a formal review of the trunk road network.
“The Scottish Government has no plans to trunk the route.”
More on the Swallow Roundabout:
- COURIER OPINION: Who is taking responsibility for Swallow Roundabout chaos?
- EXCLUSIVE: Safety experts say ‘confusing’ Swallow Roundabout road markings could cause crashes
- Readers react to Dundee bypass idea amid Swallow Roundabout delays
- MARTEL MAXWELL: Swallow Roundabout debacle undermines the appeal of Dundee
- STEVE FINAN: Why Dundee needs the bypass it was promised
- Drivers told Swallow Roundabout lights NOT designed to speed up traffic flows and ‘will result in build-up’
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