Cross Tay Link Road construction delivers village traffic safety improvements
Road safety has been improved in Balbeggie thanks to the efforts of the team building the new Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR).
Through their community benefits programme, the main contractor BAM Nuttall sent plant and labour to clear a 300-metre stretch of footway leading into the village.
The work was carried out at the request of the Balbeggie Traffic Calming Group.
Group member Andrew McOuat said:
‘We set up the Group to see what we could do to increase road safety in the village with the increased traffic the new road is likely to bring. One of our priorities was to make it safer for children walking to school by clearing a pathway along a stretch of the main road some pupils need to walk along.
‘This is still within the 60mph speed limit, so it was important that the pavement was as wide as possible to keep them as far away from traffic on the road as possible.
‘Unfortunately, this pathway had become seriously overgrown and has become an impediment to safer travel into the village. When we raised this with Perth & Kinross Council, the Client for the CTLR, they put us in touch with BAM Nuttall, the main contractor on the project,’ he said.
‘Happily, BAM have been very proactive in their support and were able to help, and the community is very grateful for the work they have put in; it has made such a difference for the pedestrians who use this walkway daily,’ he said.
This is the first of several safety measures the Group are talking to the Council about.
The CTLR project involves constructing a 3-span bridge over the River Tay and six kilometres of a new road linking the A9 and the A93 to Blairgowrie and the A94 north of Scone. It also includes the realignment of two kilometres of dual carriageway on the A9 just north of Inveralmond Roundabout.
The new road will significantly reduce traffic congestion and improve air quality in Perth’s City centre while opening up active travel opportunities and will give access to areas around the city for sustainable development.
BAM Nuttall’s Stakeholder and Communications Manager, Innes Mackintosh said:
‘This is a great example of how we can quickly and relatively easily make a difference to the communities affected by the new bridge. We are committed to delivering a range of environmental, training and community projects to benefit wider communities in the area.’
If anyone has a potential project they would like supported by BAM’s community benefits initiative, please get in touch with Innes at BAM on[email protected]
The picture shows: Before and after shots show the result of BAM Nuttall’s community benefit work in Balbeggie.