Locals have expressed relief and concern as overnight roadworks on the Swallow Roundabout begin next month.
The junction – where Kingsway West meets the A90 from Perth, the A85 Riverside Avenue and Dykes of Gray Road – will undergo a major upgrade to help accommodate hundreds of new homes at Western Gateway.
Overnight roadworks begin on June 17 and will last around a year.
Springfield Properties will oversee the project.
The scheme has divided opinion, with some locals looking forward to the benefits, with others concerned it might make traffic worse.
Speaking at a drop-in event at the Landmark Hotel, Chair of Westen Gateway Community Group, Bill Batchelor thinks it will improve the traffic situation from the Dykes of Gray approach.
Mr Batchelor has spent years campaigning for the improvement works after a series of delays.
Community council ‘happy’ with plans
He told The Courier: “We have been pushing this for four or five years after the land ownership issue.
“The committee is happy with what is now happening here and we are grateful Springfield have done this open session.
“We are also happy with the way Springfield is trying to communicate with the community, what the roadworks will involve and the benefits it will have.”
However, locals from Invergowrie felt the project might worsen traffic in the village.
Resident Fraser Duncan fears the new traffic lights on the roundabout will make Riverside Avenue traffic worse.
Roundabout to ‘encourage’ traffic through Invergowrie
The 39-year-old said: “It’s a narrow road through the village with some measures to put people off.
“With the traffic lights, it’s going to encourage people to go through the village.
“There’s no extra lane going to Perth being built which I think might have helped things.
“Getting in and out of the village at rush hour is impossible.
“At 5pm we’ll see cars and lorries coming through the village as they know the roundabout is terrible.
“I don’t have too many concerns with the roadworks – if they can stick to the times that would be brilliant.”
Fellow Invergowrie resident Jenny Ford, 45, added: “It’s going to happen and I think it will be good once it has happened.
“It’s not so good that it will last so long.
“It’s the overnight closure I’m worried about, especially with intercity buses and lorries using it as a rat run.
“I’m concerned they might go through the village too fast, I’m not too concerned about the noise though.”
Councillor voices traffic fears despite assurances
Carse of Gowrie councillor Angus Forbes also attended the event.
He said: “I’m happier since coming here after getting assurances that all the roadworks will be off during the day.
“I wasn’t aware that was the plan – I’ll make sure they don’t breach that.
“Even with the promises today though, I still think the traffic situation in Invergowrie will get worse – less so when it’s finished.
“I’m going to have talks with the council to see if they can do something to make Invergowrie less attractive as a rat run.”
Springfield Properties says the designs were informed by assessments by Transport Scotland, Dundee Council, Perth and Kinross Council and Angus Council.
A spokesperson added: “The majority of the works, which will require road closures, will take place between the hours of 7pm and 7am to keep disruption to a minimum and a diversion route will be clearly signposted.
“With this in mind, we expect traffic within these hours to be significantly less than at other points in the day.”
A Perth and Kinross Council spokesperson said: “We are proposing additional speed cushions along Main Street to deter unnecessary traffic and help keep vehicle speeds down.
“We are also about to install a 20mph speed limit across the whole village.
“This is part of the council-wide 20mph national strategy but is being implemented early due to the associated works at the Swallow Roundabout. “
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