Roads chiefs have admitted there is no quick fix in sight for the potholed Brechin bypass.
The A90 stretch has been branded a ‘patchwork piece’ of one of Courier county’s busiest roads after regular pothole repair works in the past few years.
A local MSP has now vented fury after Transport Scotland said the issues behind the crumbling concrete surface are “complex” and require longer-term investigation before a permanent solution is found.
The dual carriageway section of around three miles between the B966 Keithock junction at the A935 junction at the south end of the bypass has seen around £1.5 million spent on temporary repairs in the last three years.
In one recent incident a motorist had to be rescued from the busy road after a tyre blowout following a pothole strike.
The potentially dangerous episode prompted north east MSP Liam Kerr to demand action from Scottish transport secretary Michael Matheson.
Mr Kerr has campaigned for the section of Dundee to Aberdeen dual carriageway to be permanently sorted for a number of years.
In a response to the Conservative MSP, Transport Scotland director of roads, Hugh Gillies said new repair methods are being looked at while the hunt for a permanent fix continues.
“Over the last three years, we have invested around £1.5 million in concrete repairs to the carriageway on the section of the A90 between the junctions with the A935 and B966,” he said.
“The underlying engineering problems that have resulted in the deterioration of the road are complex and require extensive investigation.
“A further £0.5 million has been committed for this financial year to fund the trial of alternative repair options and carry out investigations that will help to develop the long-term strategy of this section of the A90,” added Mr Gillies.
“The level of future investment will then be determined by the outcome of these trials and the investigations.
“In the meantime, our operating company will continue to monitor and maintain the concrete carriageway to ensure that it remains in a safe condition for all road users,” he added.
MSP’s anger over Transport Scotland reply
Mr Kerr said: “I’m furious at this response which shows the Scottish Government is continuing to treat the A90 at Brechin as a patchwork piece of dual carriageway.
“I worry about how many serious incidents it will take to prompt Transport Scotland into resurfacing the entire stretch.
“Someone will be seriously injured if these surface issues aren’t addressed permanently and not temporarily by just filling potholes in every year.
“The A90 at Brechin is one of the busiest routes in Scotland, yet it’s being left to rot.
“Currently, the road surface is a danger to motorists and it’s completely unacceptable that their safety is being jeopardised by the lackadaisical attitude of the SNP Government.”
