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Calls to prioritise the A90 at Toll of Birness after not being included in flagship strategy


By Kirsty Brown

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MSP Liam Kerr and Ellon councillor Gillian Owen have urged new Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth to prioritise the A90 Toll of Birness after it wasn’t included in the Scottish Government’s flagship transport strategy.

The north-east MSP and Ellon councillor slammed the SNP Government for “kicking the project into the long grass” amid fears it might be another 20 years before the road is upgraded.

It comes as the second strategic transports projects review (STPR2) made 45 recommendations to be actioned over the next two decades but failed to mention anything about the Toll of Birness.

Instead, the Scottish Government is prioritising improvements on the A90 through Dundee.

Mr Kerr said: “The north-east is the engine room of Scotland yet the Toll of Birness has been left as an afterthought by this SNP-Green Government.

“It’s shocking this transport strategy hasn’t recognised the A90 north of Ellon and has instead kicked the proposals into the long grass.

“There continues to be a terrifying number of collisions on the road, many of which have tragically resulted in lives being lost.

“The prospect of waiting another 20 years for the Toll of Birness to be upgraded is unthinkable which is why I’m calling on new transport minister Jenny Gilruth to prioritise this blackspot once and for all.”

Councillor Owen, who runs the Why Stop at Ellon campaign, said: “I’m appalled that the Toll of Birness is absent from the STPR2.

“For too long commuters have had to contend with daily accidents and near misses on the road and it’s time for that to change.

“Numerous SNP transport ministers have been and gone yet every single one of them have turned a blind eye to the dangers at the Toll of Birness.

“I’m now calling on Jenny Gilruth to do the right thing and upgrade the road to prevent more lives from being lost.”


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