Figures released by Scottish Transport reveal that no one was killed in accidents at three junctions where it intends to build grade-separated junctions, while on the A90 at Laurencekirk where it refuses to consider building a flyover there have been four fatalities.
On Monday West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MSP Mike Rumbles criticised transport minister Stewart Stevenson.
“We can now see exactly why the transport minister and his agency Transport Scotland have repeatedly attempted to prevent the Public Petitions Committee from accessing these accident figures,” he said.
“The minister has previously said that his refusal to build a flyover on the A90 at Laurencekirk was based on accident figures but we can now see that there have been no fatal accidents and considerably fewer serious accidents at each of the three locations where he intends to build flyovers.”
Figures provided to the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee by Transport Scotland show there were no fatal accidents at the Broxden, Inveralmond and Keir roundabouts from 1999 to last year. In contrast the A90-A937 junction at Laurencekirk has seen four fatal accidents over the same period.
Transport Scotland said it is impossible to provide an accurate estimated cost of a flyover at Laurencekirk without a thorough investigation and design process. Costs could range from £4.3 million to £22 million.
It has indicated the creation of facilities at Montrose harbour to attract significant freight volumes of traffic off the roads and on to the sea, which will qualify for a government grant of up to £3.2 million, would not add to traffic passing through the Laurencekirk junction.
The calculations were described as “rubbish” by Laurencekirk flyover campaigner Jill Campbell. She accused Transport Scotland of ignoring the people of the north-east and the risks they are running trying to get from Montrose to Aberdeen.
“They appear to have no local knowledge… at all,” she said. “Laurencekirk may have a lower overall accident level than the three other junctions but it has had fatalities.
“Transport Scotland should be held responsible for every accident victim at the Laurencekirk junction.”
Mr Rumbles added, “These figures are very damaging to what was left of the minister’s credibility and bring his judgement into question. I hope that the public petitions committee will summon him to explain his actions.”