Petition · PE01478 · Session 4
A90 Balmedie to Tipperty Dualling Project
Signatures
0
Comments
17
Considered
2 meetings
What it asks
Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to deliver the A90 Balmedie to Tipperty Dualling Project as near to the original Transport Scotland promise of 2013 as possible, and by no later than mid 2014.
What the petitioner did first
I have made contact via email with the local Councillors, MSPs, MPs, the First Minister and the Transport Minister, requesting that they provide details on their activities with regard to recovering this delayed project.
On receiving their initial round of correspondence and being dissatisfied by the responses, i.e. none of them answered the specific question, they all indicated that they were concerned that the road was delayed, however they did not provide any detials on anything they were doing to try and recover the situation.
I then collated the return letters and emails and replied to them all indicating that their responses we're, in my view, inadequate. I then challenged them again, as representatives of the local area, to do more to ensure that this critical project is delivered as near to its original planned date as possible. I specifically asked the following questions:
When the decision was made to link the AWPR and TBDCP (Tipperty to Balmedie Dual Carriageway Project), who made the decision and what was the criteria for supporting that decision i.e. how much money would it save?
When the decision was made to link the projects was it expected that this would result in a delay of the TBDCP and if so by how much and was this considered by those making the decision in question 1?
Now that the delivery of the TBDCP looks to be delayed by years does that impact on the criteria used to make the decision in question 1, if so how? and what will now happen to address this?
What is the economic impact of the delay to the TBDCP? (For example in the winter months I start queuing at the Ellon roundabout and remain in a queue most mornings until I reach Balmedie even though I leave my house at 06:00hrs in the morning. Which I estimate adds at least 10-15 minutes to my journey and the same is true when returning home in the evenings). What it the total cost of this type of delay when multiplied across all the users of the roads, i.e. buses, lorries, commuters, business etc etc etc.?
What is the environmental impact of delaying the TBDCP, is it positive or negative?
What work has been put in to recover the delayed completion date of this project if any?
When is the completion date of the TBDCP part of the project? Saying that it will be accelerated within the overall AWPR project and it will be delivered before the end of 2018 is not good enough. It could be up to 5 years later than 1st planned!
At this time I also included the local and national press on my email with a view to attempting to stimulate further debate and discussion.
I have received some responses to the 2nd letter from those who have been contacted all indicating that they were seeking a response to my questions from the Transport Minister on my behalf. All again expressing disappointment that the road is delayed but again failing to provide any specific answers to the questions asked.
Subsequently, I received a letter directly from the Transport Minster which indicated that the two projects had been combined as a result of UK government cut backs to the Scottish funding in 2011. However, on all counts he failed to provide any answers to any of the seven specific questions I had asked in the letter.
On receiving their initial round of correspondence and being dissatisfied by the responses, i.e. none of them answered the specific question, they all indicated that they were concerned that the road was delayed, however they did not provide any detials on anything they were doing to try and recover the situation.
I then collated the return letters and emails and replied to them all indicating that their responses we're, in my view, inadequate. I then challenged them again, as representatives of the local area, to do more to ensure that this critical project is delivered as near to its original planned date as possible. I specifically asked the following questions:
When the decision was made to link the AWPR and TBDCP (Tipperty to Balmedie Dual Carriageway Project), who made the decision and what was the criteria for supporting that decision i.e. how much money would it save?
When the decision was made to link the projects was it expected that this would result in a delay of the TBDCP and if so by how much and was this considered by those making the decision in question 1?
Now that the delivery of the TBDCP looks to be delayed by years does that impact on the criteria used to make the decision in question 1, if so how? and what will now happen to address this?
What is the economic impact of the delay to the TBDCP? (For example in the winter months I start queuing at the Ellon roundabout and remain in a queue most mornings until I reach Balmedie even though I leave my house at 06:00hrs in the morning. Which I estimate adds at least 10-15 minutes to my journey and the same is true when returning home in the evenings). What it the total cost of this type of delay when multiplied across all the users of the roads, i.e. buses, lorries, commuters, business etc etc etc.?
What is the environmental impact of delaying the TBDCP, is it positive or negative?
What work has been put in to recover the delayed completion date of this project if any?
When is the completion date of the TBDCP part of the project? Saying that it will be accelerated within the overall AWPR project and it will be delivered before the end of 2018 is not good enough. It could be up to 5 years later than 1st planned!
At this time I also included the local and national press on my email with a view to attempting to stimulate further debate and discussion.
I have received some responses to the 2nd letter from those who have been contacted all indicating that they were seeking a response to my questions from the Transport Minister on my behalf. All again expressing disappointment that the road is delayed but again failing to provide any specific answers to the questions asked.
Subsequently, I received a letter directly from the Transport Minster which indicated that the two projects had been combined as a result of UK government cut backs to the Scottish funding in 2011. However, on all counts he failed to provide any answers to any of the seven specific questions I had asked in the letter.
Where it was considered
Official Report-
28 May 20131 mention
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17 Sep 20131 mention
Signatures by country
204 online signaturesComments
17 comments, oldest first-
James McL 27 Mar 2013It is a disgrace that the city of Aberdeen that is a significant driver for the Scottish economy stlll has a single lane road like some back water village. this is the only main artery into the city from the north and it is something out of the 60's. I look at the road investment in the central belt with dualing, mortoways, road widening, bypasses, etc, etc, and I know where the interest groups and capital investment resides for Scotland. The third city of scotland, and one of the wealthiest in the UK per capita is poorly served by this and previous governments.
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Julie Christie 27 Mar 2013Sooner this is done the better
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Mike Waller 27 Mar 2013As someone who has been a regular commuter from the North East corner of Aberdeenshire to Aberdeen on a daily basis for 40 years I think the road infrastructure to support the population and industries in the area is unacceptable.
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claire b 27 Mar 2013You wouldn't get this in the central belt. I remember talking to my parents as a kid about why it wasn't a dual carriageway the whole way. that's over 20 years ago. We need this. Simple.
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Pauline Insch 27 Mar 2013Transport infrastructure to and from Aberdeen from Ellon is an absolute joke during the working week. The alternative of public transport is not reliable with buses often full especially at peak times. Linking into the AWPR project timescale is a ridiculous, proposition. This area needs attention in the form of improved roads and public transport links. It's a shame there isn't the same apathy regarding granting planning permission to house builders. Increased housing equates to increased pressures to the already overloaded commuter traffic.
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Grant Leslie 27 Mar 2013This road need to be upgraded before anyone else loses their lives on this bottle neck!
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Harry Butler 27 Mar 2013This upgrade, and a further upgrade to Peterhead, is absolutely urgent. With exoerts predicting that North Sea Oil reserves running to around a 40 year life span, the main road to the North will be used more and more often in the years to come. We should not be short sighted in this..... build for the future, and not to sort out today's problems on the road. More and more traffic on the roads today, a problem that will only get worse in the next half century.
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Ben Howard 28 Mar 2013Its a disgrace. Should have been made a dual carriageway years ago.
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LJM 29 Mar 2013Can't keep building new houses and encourage people to live North of Aberdeen without improving the antiquated road structure.
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Martin Dillon 1 Apr 2013I wonder, could the over spend on building The Scottish Parliment Building, have been enough to pay for this stretch of dual carrigeway
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Malcolm Hardy-Randall. 3 Apr 2013This project was first discussed in 1936! I think that that is enough time to talk, now is the time to start work.
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Chris Ritchie 4 Apr 2013Totally get this done asap
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Dave McCusker 17 Apr 2013Looking at industry as a whole in Scotland I would imagine that the TAX collected from Aberdeen Business in general along with the Offshore revenue that seems to disappear south should justify the project
- Oil Capital of Europe? -
William Allan 18 Apr 2013Needs to be done ASAP , major delays every day !!! .
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Iain Mackinnon 22 Apr 2013By upgrading this stretch of road a time saving of at least an hour travelling will be gained.
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Gemma Morrice 22 Apr 2013Essential and need pronto!
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Mark smith 22 Apr 2013Get it done! Sooner rather than later please