An ambitious £1.5 million plan to build a park and ride on the outskirts of Perth could alleviate regular congestion in the city, it has been claimed.
The proposals lodged with Perth and Kinross Council by the Edrington Group are being recommended for approval and, if passed, would see the facility located on land at Walnut Grove (north-east of Lairwell), and serve commuters from Dundee, Invergowrie and Errol.
In the process it is hoped to remove traffic from Perth city centre.
If councillors approve the plan, it will consist of a large parking area for around 240 vehicles, a bus interchange and turning infrastructure, two bus stances and a waiting area for users, which would incorporate cycle storage.
The 4.4 hectare site is bounded by the Edrington Group’s offices and the westbound link road of the A90/M90 to the north, and by the Perth to Dundee railway line to the south.
In a new report, Nick Brian, Perth and Kinross Council’s development quality manager, states that due to a backdrop of “continued population growth” and economic development, the local authority commissioned Halcrow Group Ltd to assess transport problems in and around Perth, and consider potential solutions.
Their appraisal found that a “major bottleneck” occurs in Perth as traffic from the A93, A94 and A90 meets local traffic trying to cross the River Tay.
Their findings state: “The areas surrounding the bridges regularly experience congestion in the morning and afternoon peaks and the road layout, the topography of the area and land available severely restrict the potential for the council to introduce designated bus lanes along the congested Dundee Road or on the bridges in Perth.”
Mr Brian added: “To overcome this problem, the appraisal from the Halcrow Group stated that a new park and ride just off the A90 at Walnut Grove should be considered and feasibility studies have since taken place.
“It was the view of this appraisal that the introduction of a park and ride facility at Walnut Grove would allow people from the Dundee, Invergowrie and Errol areas to park at the edge of the city centre and complete their journeys by bus, thus removing traffic from the city centre.
“The location of a park and ride facility on this site has been firmly established within the local development plan 2014, and the details of the facility which have come forward as part of this planning do not raise any significant issues that can’t be adequately addressed via the imposing of appropriate conditions.”
The plan will be discussed by members of the development management committee next Wednesday.