A few weeks ago, chip shop boss Angelo Varese – of the Blue Lagoon empire – lambasted council bosses in Perth for not “acting like a city”.
He suggested that, if the Fair City wants to compete with places like Dundee and Stirling, the local authority should be making some bold moves.
Fast forward to Wednesday, when Perth and Kinross Council announced it would spend more than £6m of Scottish Government cash on a complete overhaul of one of the city’s busiest roads.
It’s a move as bold as they come: re-aligning the entire stretch of Dunkeld Road, to make it into a shared thoroughfare for cyclists and pedestrians.
Aside from maybe turning Pullar House into a zoo, I can’t think of more confident riposte to Mr Varese’s remarks.
Certainly, there will be eyebrows raised. This is Perth’s Motor Mile we’re talking about – and they want people to cycle along it? How is that even going to work?
And can you imagine the months, if not years, of roadworks?
(EDIT: There’s no timescale available yet, but some people who know about this sort of work say it’s unlikely to take “years”)
Indeed, some sight-loss charities and campaigners have already urged caution, worried that it could be similar to the “shared space” on Mill Street, which – without kerbs – poses a real danger to people with disabilities.
It’s important that these issues are addressed during the forthcoming public consultation. As those who are now raising concerns about Mill Street will testify, it’s much easier to highlight potential pitfalls before construction actually begins.
The council should be applauded for taking on such a mammoth, inventive challenge that could dramatically reduce air pollution levels.
But it is absolutely crucial that it listens to the public before finalising the plans.
Done right, a transformed Dunkeld Road could become a bright, bustling and safe corridor, breathing new life into local shops and supporting children walking to school.
Get it wrong and it could be one heck of an albatross for Perth and Kinross Council to carry about. And, as we’ve learned from Mill Street, once they’re set in stone, any issues can be very tricky to fix.
