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Forres is becoming one big rat-run claim residents: Demands made for council solution

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Calls have been made for urgent action to stop roads in a rapidly-expanding Moray town becoming rat runs..

Residents in Forres are already using narrow side-streets as short cuts to the A96 to avoid gridlock on Grantown Road.

Last night fears were raised the situation will only get worse now 120 new homes have been approved in the area at Ferrylea, with another 260 possibly on the way.

A consultation has been launched into a new £30million strategy for Elgin and councillor George Alexander believes it is time for similar investigations to be done in Forres.

He said: “I certainly think we need to be looking at all the houses planned for the south side of the town. There is only one access road to the A96 from there at the moment.

“The amount of traffic using the Mundole road concerns me – it’s beginning to become a rat run. It’s very narrow and isn’t built to accommodate the amount of traffic using it.

“All the pressure is on the south side of Forres. Grantown Road is already busy and it’s only going to get worse if there are more houses built further down that road.”

Traffic is frequently backed-up on Grantown Road due to traffic lights at the health centre with another set proposed for the junction with Orchard Road.

Mr Alexander revealed a new road linking the south of Forres to the A96 would be on his “wish list” but accepted it may not be affordable.

Instead the councillor has suggested that transport officials should consider removing bollards on Pilmuir Road West to relieve the strain.

And Mr Alexander wants money from housing firms behind the population boom to help cover the costs of maintaining the under-pressure roads.

He added: “Housing developments in Forres and right across Moray are good things, I welcome them, but we have to look at the repercussions.”

Springfield Properties has pledged to continue to work with Moray Council to ensure that transport concerns are properly addressed with new housing projects.

A spokesman said: “We design and plan our developments to have a positive impact on the town where we are working.

“One aspect of this is working with local councils to take transport and many other factors into account.”