Horrendous commuter traffic in Broughty Ferry can only be solved by building more homes in the west of the city, the chairman of the Dundee Civic Trust has claimed.
Dr Nutan Subedi said that given there is “no realistic way of increasing road capacity” in the east of the city, a “rebalancing” is needed by building more homes in other areas.
His comments came as Dundee city councillors approved the construction of only half of the new homes proposed for the so-called Western Gateway.
Dr Subedi said: “There is no realistic way of increasing road capacity on roads into the city from the east, because improvements at any one junction would simply cascade the problem to the next junction and then to the next. “There isn’t anything like enough money to do the only thing that would work which would be grade separation at several junctions.
“Even if there was, the environmental damage would be unacceptable.
“The real issue is that over an extended period, employment opportunities in Dundee have been migrating westwards, while housing development has continued to focus on the east side, within both Dundee and Angus.
“The result has been ever increasing commuter traffic on the A92 and A90 across the city, which is causing worsening congestion at junctions right along the Kingsway as well as at Claypotts.”
Dr Subedi also urged Angus Council to reject plans for 1,200 new homes north of Monifieth.
He said: “Angus Council is due to decide on planning applications for large housing developments at Monifieth which, if approved, would result in hundreds of extra vehicles seeking to travel to and from Dundee during the peak periods.
“Every additional housing development east of Claypotts is going to exacerbate traffic congestion, and it is surely time for those already frustrated by congestion to make their views known on this issue.”