Calls to consider HGV use on A90

A Peterhead councillor has called for an assessment of HGV volume on the A90 and the throttling effect of infrastructure on the economic prospect of the region.

Conservative councillor Matthew James called for the assessment during a meeting of Aberdeenshire Council last week.

At the meeting, councillors heard from Rab Dickson, director of Nestrans, the regional transport partnership for the area.

Mr Dickson presented on various projects and the role Nestrans plays in the wider transport strategies for the region.

​Councillor Matthew James wants the HGV use to be considered by Nestrans.

In hearing that assessment and engagement is underway for improvements to the A90/A952 and rail proposals for the region, Cllr James looked to confirm that recent development announcements are built into assessments.

He asked: “If the increasing development in the region associated with the Acorn project, the developments with SSE, our developing renewables sector and the backdrop of increasing fish landings at our Port are built into these assessments to ensure our infrastructure networks don’t throttle economic development of the region.”

He also noted that the assessment is welcomed “given the level of HGV movements and volume of traffic flowing both directions” and “when considering the perishable nature of the products” referencing the fish landings at Peterhead Port.

Mr Dickson confirmed that the developments in the area will be built into assessments going forward.

Recently Cllr James and Conservative council colleagues Gillian Owen, John Crawley, Hannah Powell and James Adams, wrote collectively to Transport Minister Fiona Hyslop regarding the A90 and A952.

In the letter they stated: “The A90 Ellon onwards and its interaction with A952, are notorious blackspots.

"The A90 has both the infamous Toll of Birness junction and the A952 has the equally infamous Cortes junction.

"The main issue with the A90 and A952 is they are single carriageway with considerable HGV usage and are no longer fit for purpose.

"It makes economic sense to upgrade the road network, to unlock the Northeast and remove the throttle on economic development for Scotland.”