The Scottish Government, Transport Scotland and Perth and Kinross Council are being urged to join forces to improve junctions on the A9 at Auchterarder.
Around £3 million has been ploughed into a much-heralded scheme to improve the Loaninghead junction near Gleneagles.
However, a local engineer has described the project a “waste of money,” insisting flyovers are desperately required both in the interests of road safety and in terms of Auchterarder’s future.
The Loaninghead improvements, which started last year, involve the construction of a new roundabout and slip road.
The construction resulted in the lifting of an embargo on housing developments within Auchterarder.
However, resident and engineer Euan Mackintosh has called the multi-million scheme a waste of money.
He has now written to politicians, council officials and representatives of Transport Scotland with an impassioned plea for a “sensible solution.”
“The development of Auchterarder requires communication and convenience while giving due consideration to safety and environmental impact for the benefit of current and future residents of the town,” Mr Mackintosh said.
“I cannot see where the much reported junction improvement at Loaninghead has met any of that criteria.”
Mr Mackintosh said most people visiting Auchterarder will still be forced to “dice with death.”
“Many residents have to cross a high speed traffic stream using their rear view mirrors to judge the crossing opportunity,” he said.
“I believe that the only sensible solution is two single-track flyovers of the A9 one at the existing Aberuthven junction and the other from Western Road on the southbound A9, slipping at Gleneagles station.”
The Loaninghead junction improvements have, in Mr Mackintosh’s opinion, done nothing to ease the problems faced by those living in or visiting Auchterarder.
“Loaninghead junction has been a waste of public funds as far as Auchterarder is concerned,” he continued. “No more money should be spent until the situation has been re-evaluated.
“The whole matter appears to have been badly thought out and smells of a cheap solution.”