Arbroath’s multi-million pound active travel scheme continues to divide the town even more than the A92 problem it has been designed to solve.
On Thursday, a special full meeting of Angus Council is set to finally kick-start the Covid-delayed project.
The cost has jumped around 10% to £14.6 million.
But the council promises it will not add to their £60million budget black hole.
Active travel charity Sustrans and UK Government cash will plug the gap.
And with both the current SNP administration leader and her Independent coalition group predecessor full square behind the initiative it would take a remarkable u-turn for it not to be green-lighted.
Early 2024 start targeted
Work would start at the turn of 2024 to cut the A92 through the heart of the town to one lane in each direction.
Cycle lanes trialled in 2021 will be put in place.
This week we showcased key design elements at points along the route.
Those include seating, planting and open pedestrian spaces at places like Brothock Bridge and the busy Guthrie Port junction.
Connectivity, accessibility and breathing new life into the town’s beating heart are among its aims.
Reader reaction
However, online reader reaction suggests A Place for Everyone remains very much not for everyone.
“Complete waste of money,” commented one reader.
“The congestion in town will be unbearable! Once it’s built (obviously well over budget and timescale) they’ll realise it’s a disaster…and to top it off they’ll probably have no choice to make it a dual carriageway again.”
Another wrote: “At a time of national hardship I can see how Angus Council whizzing away millions on a project like this would irk people.
“I’ve ridden Arbroath waterfront many times and there is already an ‘ok’ cycle path so this seems rather unnecessary.
“Even when I lived in Arbroath I thought the waterfront dual carriageway was unneeded, but in times of difficulty don’t fix what ain’t broke.”
Another summed up their thoughts by saying: “In this time of cost of living crisis the last thing on the minds of people in Arbroath is an ill thought out vanity project that is nothing more than a white elephant.”
“If the council are so sure of their plan let them put a vote to the people of Arbroath.”
The 2021 trial also came under the microscope.
“How many people used the trial cycle lane?” asked a reader.
“How many using the road had to deal with delays and congestion?
“That does not appear to provide statistics supporting the project or Angus Council would surely be quoting those figures.”
Support
But there is backing from some quarters for A Place for Everyone – and perhaps more ambitious action.
“Do you think keeping people wedded to their cars is really helping people with the cost of living challenges – would you not agree that by making the centre of Arbroath better for walking and cycling, people might use their cars less and save on fuel costs?” said one commenter.
The debate even flagged the possibility of a future town centre Low Emission Zone.
“I do hope so,” was a response to that suggestion.
“I really do think it’s time we stopped poisoning the population of Arbroath by taking traffic that should clearly be passing around the town centre, right through the middle of the town.
“ULEZ from the Westway roundabout to the Guthrie Port roundabout would be splendid.”
Conversation