Latest news with #StrategicTransportProjectsReview
Scotsman
6 days ago
- Automotive
- Scotsman
10 of Scotland's most notorious roundabouts - the trickiest and most congested
Roundabouts are among nervous drivers' most feared junctions. They require skill and judgment as to when to safely pull out, get in the correct lane and then exit, all while remaining aware of other vehicles, which may be all around you. Scotland-based road safety consultant Neil Greig gives his assessment of ten of the country's most notorious roundabouts, with additional comments from AA motoring group staff based north of the Border - performance leader Bob Drummond and patroller John Carroll. There's also collision data from analysts CrashMap Mr Greig said: 'In general, roundabouts have been shown to be safer than traffic light intersections, but they have their traffic design limits, and these busy junctions show what happens when you exceed them. 'Regular peak time congestion and long delays if minor disruptions occur leads to unneeded pollution and cost to the Scottish economy. 'The Scottish Government has now abandoned its ridiculous traffic reduction targets, but need to provide solutions for these key junctions as they are only going to get worse.' Nicholas Lyes, director of policy and standards for motoring group IAM RoadSmart, said: 'When constructed well and properly maintained, roundabouts tend to be a far more efficient way in managing traffic at junctions than lights. 'But in recent years, poor maintenance hasn't only resulted in more potholes on Scotland's roads, but also faded line markings, which can cause a few issues for vehicle positioning when approaching and merging into roundabouts. 'Anticipation and positioning are two key skills for safely navigating roundabouts, but poor maintenance has made the latter far more difficult.' A spokesperson for the Scottish Government's Transport Scotland agency, which is responsible for roundabouts on trunk roads, said: 'The second Strategic Transport Projects Review considered the need for major investment across the whole of Scotland's trunk road network as part of the accompanying transport appraisal that was completed in 2022. 'The conclusion of the appraisal did not recommend any significant upgrade to Broxden, Inveralmond, Hermiston Gait or Stoneymollan junctions. 'Instead, and in line with our Sustainable Investment Hierarchy (SIH), the recommendation was that future investment should be focused on maintaining the existing assets. 'This is in line with the SIH rationale for investment in transport infrastructure projects, which is to prioritise maintaining and make best use of our existing transport assets, over building new infrastructure.' 1 . Hermiston Gait - M8 and A720 Edinburgh City Bypass Junction at the eastern end of M8 under the bypass, seen from the exit from the shopping centre. The Crashmap collision analysis website recorded 23 incidents between 2019 and 2023, one fatal and three serious (latest available data). Bob Drummond: 'The biggest issue is coming from the retail park - the left lane up to the Calder roundabout is not traffic-light controlled but people stop when they see the traffic lights are red for the other three lanes. The second lane goes to the bypass but many people go straight ahead towards the M8, driving into the third lane, not realising.' Neil Greig: 'What's the point of a motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh if it ends at a congested roundabout that can't cope with peak flows? 'A full free-flow interchange for M8 traffic heading on to the bypass should have been provided years ago.' Transport Scotland said no significant upgrade was planned. | Google Street View Photo Sales 2 . Broxden - M90 and A9 in Perth The junction at the north end of the M90 with the A9 on the west side of the city, seen from the M90 northbound. The Crashmap collision analysis website recorded 16 incident between 2019 and 2023, six serious (latest available data). Neil Greig: 'This is really showing some strain as a pinch point for growing traffic levels to Aberdeen and Inverness. 'Dedicated slip lanes north on the A9 and south on the M90 would help.' Bob Pentland: 'At peak times, it's difficult to get on to the roundabout due to the volume of traffic coming from the M9 and A9.' Transport Scotland said no significant upgrade was planned. | Google Street View Photo Sales 3 . Sheriffhall - A720 Edinburgh City Bypass The only roundabout on the bypass - a six-way junction including with A7. The Crashmap collision analysis website recorded 15 incidents between 2019 and 2023, one serious (latest available data). Transport Scotland's plans to replace it with a flyover have been delayed by a public inquiry. Neil Greig: 'The old classic - it's an embarrassment that Edinburgh does not have a full grade separated bypass to keep traffic out of the city. 'Sheriffhall is stifling the economy, and with Midlothian developing fast it can only get worse.' Bob Pentland: 'Volume of traffic seems to be biggest issue but the lane cat's eyes are good.' Transport Scotland: 'We are committed to delivering the grade separation of the roundabout. We continue to progress the proposed scheme through the statutory process so we can deliver improvements at this key junction as soon as possible. 'Following the public local inquiry for the scheme, the Reporter's conclusions and recommendations have been submitted to the Scottish Government. This is under active consideration by officials before advice is provided to ministers and a decision is made on the scheme.' | Traffic Scotland Photo: Traffic Scotland Photo Sales 4 . Pollok - south side of Glasgow The junction of Brockburn Road, Braidburn Road, the B762 and Peat Road. The Crashmap collision analysis website recorded six incidents, one serious between 2019 and 2023 (latest available data). Neil Greig: 'A five-way dodgem circuit with fast traffic and multiple lanes.' John Carroll: 'Five roads merging at this one, no traffic control on it. It can be one of the busiest roundabouts in the area.' | Google Street View Photo Sales
Scotsman
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Scotsman
Time to end Sheriffhall roundabout saga
Miles Briggs MSP As anyone who has used the Edinburgh City by-pass will know, the road is often at gridlock and has become a wholly inadequate ring-road for the Capital. Sign up to our daily newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to Edinburgh News, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... I have been campaigning with my colleagues to improve it my entire parliamentary career and continue to make the case for infrastructure investment for Lothian. One of the most notorious hotspots for congestion is the Sheriffhall roundabout. Failing a broader upgrade of the A720, my latest effort has been to press SNP Ministers to finally address this disastrous aspect of the Bypass, if nothing else. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad When the roundabout was being constructed 40 years ago, many people, including those involved in the original design, some of whom I have met, made it clear that a roundabout was not appropriate for a road of this size and would inevitably cause congestion. Sheriffhall roundabout heading west. Picture: Ian Georgeson An upgrade to the junction was first flagged as a priority by the Strategic Transport Projects Review in 2008, some 17 years ago. It then took the SNP Government a decade to commit to the funding. The proposed solution, a flyover separating local and through-traffic, was eventually allocated £120m in 2018. It promised smoother and safer journeys for Edinburgh and the surrounding region. In the seven years since and after more than £6m spent on consultations, not a single spade has hit the ground to alleviate the time, money and pollution being needlessly wasted in traffic every day. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Much of the delay was caused by Green party lobbying, which brought the project to a halt in 2020. Branding the much-needed upgrade a 'spaghetti junction', the Greens rallied their supporters to submit more than 2700 objections. These represented 97 per cent of the total objections submitted against the project. As my fellow Lothian MSP Sue Webber pointed out last week, the Greens have been allowed to stop a planned and funded project single handedly. What damage this has down to our local and national economy needs to be recognised. Sadly this was not the first time we have seen the tail wag the dog in the SNP-Green relationship and I suspect it won't be the last. It isn't clear to me how hours of stationary traffic and drivers opting to cut through the city to avoid that congestion, is better for our environment than cleanly flowing traffic, confined to the outskirts of the city. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Nonetheless, the public inquiry into this matter pushed ministerial approval back yet again. A decision was expected a year ago, yet it remains under 'active consideration' according to the SNP. Twelve months without a decision is not consideration, it's procrastination. I held a debate in Parliament on this issue last week, having launched an online campaign the week before. I am glad that the Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop has now agreed to meet with a cross-party group on this going forward but as expected, the Scottish Government would not assure me that a decision would be made before the 2026 election. Please get involved and sign my Sheriffhall campaign by visiting Next week will also see the council by-election take place in the Fountainbridge/Craiglockhart ward following the death of Cllr Val Walker. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad It has been a pleasure to meet with many local residents while I've been out and about with local Scottish Conservative candidate, Mark Hooley who has been working alongside local Cllr Christopher Cowdy and who would make a fantastic addition to the City Council. Miles Briggs, Conservative MSP for Lothian
The Courier
13-06-2025
- Business
- The Courier
Stirling's long-running Bannockburn and Cowie railway station saga explained
At the end of May, Stirling Council announced its intention to make a case for a rail link serving the Bannockburn and Cowie communities. The plan is part of Stirling Council's new draft sustainable mobility strategy, which aims to reduce transport emissions in and around Stirling. Many locals welcomed the prospect of a new south Stirling train station, though some pointed out that the idea was nothing new. It's true that similar proposals have been floating around for a long time. Over the last two decades, both Stirling Council and the Scottish Government have suggested opening a new Bannockburn railway station on several occasions. But it was Falkirk Council that looked into options for opening a train station around Bonnybridge and Denny in 2006, ultimately discovering that a Bannockburn rail link would be preferred. Two years later, it was reported that the idea was still being discussed by officials. At one point, a halt was being considered for Bannockburn rather than a full station, meaning trains might only stop there on request. Then, in 2009, Transport Scotland published a report which included a plan for several new park and ride sites across the country, including at Bannockburn. The Strategic Transport Projects Review read: 'The sites would be served by either rail services or express bus links to and from the city centres and areas of economic activity'. At the time, it looked likely that onward travel from Bannockburn's proposed park and ride would be via train. Although the Strategic Transport Projects Review was billed as a 10-year plan for travel improvements, a park and ride has never been opened in the area. Fast-forward a few years to Tayside and Central Scotland Transport Partnership's (Tactran) 2012-13 annual report, which mentioned the Strategic Transport Projects Review and its Bannockburn park and ride proposal. Tactran identified the plan as one of several which 'should be afforded greater priority' by the Scottish Government. Around that time, Stirling councillor Jim Thomson, who also sat on the Tactran partnership board, told The Stirling Observer that options were still being looked at for a Bannockburn railway station and that he was 'hopeful' it would happen. Around five years later, in 2018, Tactran received a share of £681,000 from Transport Scotland's £2 million Local Rail Development Fund (LRDF), which was split between 10 projects. The money was ring-fenced for a 'transport appraisal to assess transport needs and opportunities in and around Stirling', with the continued goal of building a 'strategic' park and ride facility. At the time, a Stirling Council spokesperson said: 'Among the options being examined is the prospect of a new railway station south of Stirling but the location has yet to be established.' A further share of £817,000 was awarded to Tactran in a second round of LRDF funding during 2019. Tactran requested £125,000 for the Stirling project. In August 2019, the Scottish Government said: 'It is expected that the transport appraisal will be completed by the end of the 2020/21 financial year.' After that deadline, in early 2022, Stirling Council and Tactran launched a survey for members of the public, asking for local views on proposed options for improving public transport in and around Stirling. One of the options outlined was 'a new rail station south of Stirling between Bannockburn and Cowie'. The council explained: 'Subject to its location the station will be accessible by walking and cycling for many residents in Plean and Cowie, or Bannockburn as well as the new residents that will join us in the homes to be built at South Stirling Gateway. 'Here users could park bikes, EVs and conventional cars before getting a train onwards.' The aim was to make city centre streets 'cleaner and safer for walking and cycling' by reducing the number of cars in Stirling. Tactran was granted £91,998.50 more from the LRDF during the 2023-24 financial year, 'to provide money for communities to carry out a multi-modal transport appraisal to develop proposals for improvements to rail connections in their areas'. And just weeks ago, on May 30 2025, Stirling Council's draft sustainable mobility strategy was published, pledging to 'make the case for a new station at Bannockburn/Cowie.' The council is asking locals to share their views on the strategy, including the station plan, until July 30. But whether or not this year will see the end of the long-running south Stirling station saga remains to be seen. There was a railway station at Bannockburn for more than 100 years, between 1848 and 1950. It was located between Stirling railway station and a station serving Plean, which closed in 1956. These stops were part of the Scottish Central Railway, which connected Stirling and Perth to the rest of the central belt.
