A row has broken out over who should pay for a slip road to stop lorries thundering through a south Perthshire village.
Residents say Blackford has become an “industrial waste ground” as up to 80 lorries a day travel past their homes at all hours of the day and night.
Many are making their way to and from the Highland Spring depot but an upgrade to the local railway line is has added to the volume of traffic.
Villagers are campaigning for a dedicated slip road to be built off the A9, which would allow HGVs to avoid the village altogether.
Roseanna Cunningham, SNP MSP for Perthshire South and Kinross-shire, has now called on Perth and Kinross Council to dedicate money to pay for the new road.
However, council bosses say they need permission from the Scottish Government before they can build a road and efforts to secure the necessary approvals have so far drawn a blank.
Ms Cunningham said: “There is a £20 million structural maintenance pot for the whole of the Perth and Kinross Council area, although the administration has not come forward with any sort of idea as to what sort of projects that might fund.
“I am writing to the leader of the council, seeking an assurance that this important road project will indeed be included in the plans for the structural maintenance fund.”
Council leader Murray Lyle, who is also a councillor for Blackford, said: “The slip road comes off the A9, which is not the responsibility of the council, so we can’t do anything without permission from the Scottish Government.
“We have made every effort to discuss the matter but at the moment it appears not to be an option for us. I’m not saying never but we have to have the permission in place and that is not forthcoming at the moment.”
Mr Lyle said Highland Spring had offered a “substantial contribution” towards the slip road, which is expected to amount to up to £500,000.
Bruce Fummey, who lives in the centre of Blackford, said up to 80 lorries passed his house every day.
He said: “They come through the village at all hours and it is causing residents a lot of suffering.
“They make a horrendous noise and it just appears nobody is giving us any consideration. A quiet wee village has been turned into an industrial waste ground.”
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said:
“Any new slip road at Blackford would be considered in terms of its need, as well as any designs and funding plans put forward by the proposer.
“Highland Spring’s rail freight project supports our vision for a competitive, sustainable rail freight sector playing an increasing role in Scotland’s economic growth by providing a safer, greener and more efficient way of transporting products and materials.”
