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Readers react to two-month delay in ‘waste of money’ £14m Arbroath active travel scheme

Final contracts are being signed for the Arbroath Place for Everyone project which was due to get under way this month.

A Place for Everyone will create planting and pedestrian spaces along the A92 through Arbroath. Image: Angus Council
A Place for Everyone will create planting and pedestrian spaces along the A92 through Arbroath. Image: Angus Council

Arbroath critics of the town’s £14 million active travel scheme say a two-month delay in getting the project off the ground should become a permanent halt.

Work on A Place for Everyone had been due to start this month – four years after Angus Council landed £9m of funding from active travel agency Sustrans for the pioneering project.

The A92 between Gayfield Park and Guthrie Port will be re-imagined in a bid to bridge the two sides of the town on the dual carriageway.

Arbroath Place for Everyone Sustrans scheme
How the Brothock Bridge junction will look in A Place for Everyone. Image: Angus Council

It will encourage cycling and walking through road layout changes and junction treatments.

But plans to reduce traffic to a single lane in each direction proved controversial from the outset.

October green light

The scheme was finally signed off by councillors last October.

Project costs have risen by £1.3m.

But Sustrans will plug the funding gap and Angus Council’s contribution is to remain at £4m.

Contractor Balfour Beatty has targets of 20-40% local labour and a 40-60% spend on local sub-contactors – worth £2m to the Angus economy.

Arbroath Place for Everyone Sustrans scheme
The vision for Guthrie Port roundabout. Image: Angus Council

Last week, Angus Council leader Beth Whiteside revealed top level talks had taken place with the Scottish Government to get the project moving forward.

She said funding complications had led to the delay in work starting.

The original contract targeted a completion date of summer 2025.

Arbroath Place for Everyone Sustrans scheme.
A new-look junction at East Grimsby leading to Arbroath harbour. Image: Angus Council

It is now anticipated contractors will be on site in mid-March at the earliest.

But Ms Whiteside says the project partners remain fully committed to seeing the vision become reality.

You can view how the scheme will look by visiting Angus Council’s website.

‘Vanity project’

However, news of the delay has prompted critics to call for the scheme to be dropped completely.

On The Courier website, strength of feeling remains against the idea.

Reader Marilyn said: “It should be a two century delay! Utter waste of money which could be spent on more important things.”

And Our Town added: “Absolute chaos. What a waste of money.”

Sky Limits commented: “Please delay it forever!

Guthrie Port roundabout in Arbroath
The design for the new Guthrie Port roundabout in A Place for Everyone. Image: Angus Co9uncil

“The road through Arbroath is the main coastal road north so narrowing the flow of traffic will cause tailbacks onto the dual carriageway. Traffic will divert through smaller roads to avoid the development.

“It will be a headache for emergency vehicles and cost a lot of money to modify in years to come. It will have a detrimental effect on struggling businesses in the town.”

“Total waste of money, this could surely be used to help with flooding problems, fixing roads. Try asking all residents of Arbroath if they want this,” said another.

The scheme to encourage cycling in Arbroath was trialled in 2021.
A cyclist negotiates a temporary active travel lane when the changes were trialled in 2021. Image: Paul Reid.

JR1761 said: “When have Angus council ever listened to the public? They report £50+ million budget shortfall but still want to go ahead with this, give Sustrans their money back before the town is ruined.”

Angus Resident added: “SNP council so what do you expect? Love wasting other peoples money on vanity projects that never come in on time or budget.

“Money would be better spent on higher priority demands, flood repairs, roads, education and street cleaning.”

True Red Lictie added: “We had a trial period, which cyclists did not like, as part of the consultation process.

“Angus councillors who voted for this, hang your heads in shame you will be voted out before it is complete.”

So far just a single message of support has come from Lester Longlegs, who said: “Looks fab!! Can’t wait to see the finished result!”

Conversation