A £10million project to improve a notorious bottleneck on one of the north-east’s busiest roads is on track to be complete by spring.
The Inveramsay Bridge, near Pitcaple, has been the source of endless suffering for commuters north of Inverurie travelling along the A96 Aberdeen to Inverness road for years.
Traffic builds up on a daily basis both north and south of the low bridge, with traffic lights currently in place to control the flow of vehicles.
However, in 2014 Transport Scotland began work to tackle the problems at the spot – revealing yesterday that they were on track for completion in a matter of month.
The project includes the construction of a new road about one mile long both north and south of the current bridge from Milton of Inveramsay Farm to Pitcaple Wood.
A new crossing has also been built enabling the realignment of the road across the Aberdeen to Inverness railway, complete with an underpass for farm vehicles.
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “Construction work on the A96 Inveramsay Bridge Improvement Project is well advanced and we are on track for completion this spring.”
The news was welcomed by Gordon MP Alex Salmond, who has led the campaign for issues at the Inveramsay Bridge to be addressed.
He said: “The A96 bottleneck at the bridge has long been in need of improvement and the update will allow more traffic to flow, not only benefiting those who use it on a daily basis, but also by bringing new people and opportunities to the area and the communities who call it home.”
However Inverurie councillor Richard Cowling warned the improvements at the bottleneck might not be enough to end issues on the A96.
He added it may even increase traffic to the roundabout on the A96 onto Inverurie’s Blackhall Road – which he has nicknamed “the magic roundabout” due to its confusing lane system.
He said: “That will increase the traffic flow to the magic roundabout on the A96. It may not help that much. Traffic on the A96 tends to come in bunches.
“But it would free up that road that goes across Chapel of Garioch from the idiots that think it is a race track. I have concerns it is not going to solve the problems, we’ll just have to wait and see.”
However Garioch area committee chairman, Fergus Hood, said: “We have had to wait until 2016 for it to actually happen, I am pleased to see it happening.”
