The developers vying to bring new supermarkets and housing to Crieff have been urged to make road safety improvements their first priority.
The town’s community council has warned that protecting people cannot wait for the resolution of talks with Perth and Kinross Council.
For many years residents warned that Broich Road was an accident waiting to happen, but without serious action being taken to improve footpaths.
Then, in November 2015, those predictions became a horrifying reality as a woman was left in a critical condition after she was pinned to a wall by a bus.
Community council chairman Craig Finlay says that accident should have made clear the need for urgency but he fears safety improvements are still some way off, with talks at an impasse.
He is a supporter of the plans being put forward for Broich Road, believing that the two supermarket proposals – one Aldi – will be hugely beneficial to Crieff.
Nonetheless, he has written to Aldi and to London and Scottish, who are behind the second development, to urge them to commit to providing land for road safety improvements.
Each has now indicated they are determined to do so.
In a response to Mr Findlay’s letter, a spokesman for London and Scottish Developments said: “We are determined to deliver a much needed new retail development at our site as quickly as possible.
“We also see the provision of a footpath as an integral part of improving pedestrian safety at this part of Broich Road.
“We are committed to playing our part in facilitating road safety improvements at Broich Road and are working towards the prompt resolution of the matters that we control.”
Aldi has also indicated it is willing to contribute financially to improvements but it wants agreements from other developers and the council to say they are willing to shoulder some of the burden.
Broich Road already becomes congested and dangerous at peak times, with the presence of three schools – Crieff Primary, St Dominic’s Primary and Crieff High – just one factor.
Significant homebuilding is also under way.
In February, the town took part in a community “street audit” in conjunction with the road safety organisation Living Streets.
It identified Broich Road as a safety risk.
Mr Finlay said: “During my tenure as chairman of Crieff Community Council, I asked road safety organisation Living Streets Scotland to produce a report on the difficulties and dangers faced by pedestrians and cyclists using Broich Road and other roads leading to the three schools.
“The recently completed report has highlighted that if developers on Broich Road were to allow strips of land running alongside the existing narrow and dangerous footpath to be developed and enhanced, safety would be improved for users, in particular parents and children who use the road to access their school.
“Retail development seems to be stalling at the moment, but the dangers for pedestrians are clear and present and need addressed before another accident occurs.
“I have asked local ward councillors to look at the option of Perth and Kinross Council utilising some land at the old gas works site next to St Dominic’s Primary School to take school bus parking off the road.
“I have also written to Aldi’s agents and London and Scottish Investments, both developers on Broich Road, to urge them give over the much-needed land, and have supplied them with a copy of the Living Streets report.
“I will continue to campaign on this issue as is it is vital something is done quickly.”
