Alyth Community Council has proposed a one-way scheme through the town centre to cope with new housing developments.
A total of 297 additional homes are either being built or are subject to planning permissions in the Perthshire town.
Iain Donaldson, chairman of the community council, said that unless infrastructure improves he “foresees problems ahead for the town”.
One of the ideas is to make the B952 at Commercial Street into Toutie Street a one-way system for northbound traffic.
Iain, 53, has called for a public meeting involving residents, local councillors and Perth and Kinross officers to discuss such measures.
List of new housing in the town
The community council believes action has to be taken in a number of areas due to the following housing developments, which are currently taking place or being proposed.
- Glenisla Developments is building Pitcrocknie Village on what was previously nine holes of the former Glenisla Golf Course. The development will comprise 216 houses, nine commercial units and a 60-bed care home. Residents have been moving into the completed houses since last summer.
- Guild Homes is currently constructing 27 homes off St Ninian’s Road near the high school.
- A planning application has been lodged for 34 houses on grazing land near Meethill Road. The proposal, submitted by ARKTX on behalf of Lynne Thomson, describes the erection of a mix of villas, semi-detached units and bungalows.
- A proposal has been lodged for 20 homes on a field next to Losset Road. The scheme, submitted by CAG Architects on behalf of David Barbour, would provide large detached homes “comfortable for family living”.
Congestion ‘getting very serious now’
The suggestion forwarded by the community council is for the one-way system to run between the junctions with Mill Street and High Street.
“We haven’t had any professional advice but what we are finding is that when you go up Toutie Street there is only a footpath on one side and it is extremely narrow,” said Iain, who works as a civil engineer.
“When you have two cars going along there – one coming down and one coming up – they can’t pass each other, apart from when they are close to Losset Road on one side and Chapel Street on the other.
“Cars have to move over there to let the other one past. It is getting very serious now.
“At Commercial Street, which leads up to Toutie Street, you have parking almost up the whole of one side.
“If someone gets an Asda delivery, or whatever, the lorry stops in the middle of the road. Nobody can go up or down.”
How scheme would work
If the one-way idea is adopted, High Street traffic could access Banff Road by turning left down one-way Kirk Brae or Wylies Brae, which is two-way.
Losset Road traffic would no longer be able to turn left down Toutie Street but could use Chapel Street and Parkside Road.
The proposal was first made informally three years ago but Iain says it was met with resistance among townsfolk.
Iain added: “It can be done but Perth and Kinross Council have to make sure that they salt Banff Road in the winter to prevent cars losing control on the hill.”
Residents would be asked their views
The community council plans to canvass residents on the idea, though this may happen after the election in the autumn.
Iain says a public meeting on the new housing would also address other associated issues including parking, sewage and pressure on the health centre and primary school.
However, he emphasised: “In general we are happy that additional properties are being built. We know that as a small town with approximately 3,000 people it needs to expand by between 5% and 10% per annum.
“But we will need a lot of assistance from Perth and Kinross Council to improve the situation.
“We are not sure if in these troubled financial times that this will be available. The Scottish Government and the health service is also unlikely to improve soon.”
Would Perth and Kinross allow it?
A spokesperson for Perth and Kinross Council said: “In relation to all new development in Perth and Kinross, in line with the normal planning process, we would consult with the relevant roads authority and take their advice into consideration.
“This would include the capacity of the roads network to accommodate additional traffic and consequently whether any improvements may be required.
“Depending on the location this consultation would be with our own officers and/or Transport Scotland.”
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