IMPROVEMENTS ARE BEING PLANNED to a Forres road junction considered dangerous by local residents.
Concerns over the safety of the A96 Forres bypass junction at Market Street saw Highlands and Islands (including Moray) MSP David Stewart write to Transport Scotland earlier this year.
The Labour MSP raised the concerns of local motorists regarding the safety of the junction. He wrote to Transport Scotland asking them to look again at the situation on learning that they had advice local community leaders that they had no plans to change either the layout or signage.
Two weeks ago, Mr Stewart again raised the issue when he learned Transport Scotland officials and Forres Community Council members had been revisiting the junction – but he had never received a reply from the roads agency, Mr Stewart saying at the time: “I have written to Transport Scotland, querying why they have not responded to my letter to date and I have also asked what detail plans they have for improvements to this junction.”
Last night Mr Stewart added that he had finally heard back from Transport Scotland, saying: “After this matter was raised in the local press two weeks ago, I was contacted by a representative from Transport Scotland, who advised that they had indeed forwarded me a letter advising of the latest position with regards to the traffic management and safety of this particular junction. However, for some reason that letter was never received at my office.
“Transport Scotland advise me now that a Route Accident Reduction Plan (RARP) has been carried out along the entire route of the A96.
“This plan identified improvements which could be made to several junctions, Market Street/A96 Forres Bypass being possibly one. The letter, which I subsequently received, went on to say that design for the junction improvements will be ongoing in the next few months with implementation at the start of the next financial year.
“I am satisfied that Transport Scotland have now moved from a position where they had no plans to improve the junction marking and signage as they deemed them sufficient, to a position where they are now seriously looking at this issue.
“Fair play to Transport Scotland and now we await the outcome of their plans.”
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