(For official use only) PUBLIC PETITION NO. PE1221 Should you wish to submit a public petition for consideration by the Public Petitions Committee please refer to the guidance leaflet How to submit a public petition and the Guidance Notes at the back of this form. 1. NAME OF PRINCIPAL PETITIONER Sandy Morrison, Chair Fossoway & District Community Council 2. TEXT OF PETITION Calling on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to recognise that the A977 is part of the strategic road network in Central Scotland and that the opening of the new Clackmannanshire Bridge will lead to increased traffic on the road; that the safety and welfare of the whole community is of paramount importance therefore it should provide funding of £1.5m for traffic mitigation measures to provide long term safeguards for the community. 3. ACTION TAKEN TO RESOLVE ISSUES OF CONCERN BEFORE SUBMITTING THE PETITION 1 September 2000 Letter from Mr. D. Mason (Secretary of Fossoway Community Council) to Jim Irons (Head of Roads P&K Council) regarding the lorry crash at the School Road, Crook of Devon, the problems faced by school children walking to school and the problems faced by the Powmill children crossing the A977 to and from the school bus. August 2003 Letter from Jim Irons to Councillor Barnacle (Councillor for West Kinross-shire) regarding the proposed new Kincardine Bridge and pointing out that the Scottish Executive had a policy of refusing developments which would impact on their own trunk roads network without the necessary improvements to capacity or safety of adjacent parts of the network. He would recommend that the P & K Council formally object to the proposed bridge as it would have an adverse effect on the safety and welfare on resident communities along the A977. November 2003 Keith Raffan MSP wrote to Nicol Stephen on behalf of the local councillors and Friends of Rural Kinross-shire concerning the potential impact of the new bridge on the traffic flow on the A977 and the effect on the local environment. In Nicol Stephen’s reply he stated among other things that traffic models indicated that the traffic flow on the A977 would increase by about 50% immediately after the opening of the new crossing and that “the introduction of further speed restrains and traffic calming would be appropriate”…. November 2003 Councillor Mike Barnacle wrote on behalf of various constituents, Friends of Rural Kinross-shire (FORK) and TAG (Traffic Action Group) to Jim Irons of Planning and Transportation of P&K Council regarding the serious fuel tanker accident and fire in October 2003 when local residents and Fossoway Primary School children were evacuated. An immediate consequence was closure of the road for 4 days with considerable disruption over a wide area. This was a clear indication of the importance of the A977 to central Scotland traffic. He also voiced the concerns of the community about the effect of the new bridge at Kincardine on the volume of traffic on the A977. This letter was copied to P&K Councillor, Alexander Stewart, P&K Councillor Willie Robertson, Keith Raffan MSP, Nicol Stephen MSP, Minister of Transport, FORK and the Freight Transport Association and the Road Haulage Association. July 2004 As a result of lobbying by the Fossoway & District Community Council George Reid MSP wrote to Nicol Stephen about the concerns of local residents about the level of traffic on the A977 and the effect of the new bridge. The Minister replied that “the council might consider …. village gateways, reduced speed limits, rumble strips, roundabouts at junctions, central islands and enhanced signs.” August 2004 George Reid MSP reported by letter to the Community Council the results of his communication with Nicol Stephen. November 2004 FORK, Perth & Kinross Council and Councillor Barnacle appeared as objectors at the Public Inquiry into the Upper Forth Crossing at Kincardine. They argued for increased funding for traffic mitigation measures for the A977. They made strong representations at the Public Inquiry that the problem of increased traffic had not been taken into account by the Scottish Executive. The consultants had not taken the issue seriously and the measures proposed were of a cosmetic nature. More money was needed to mitigate the impact of increased traffic on the villages along the A977. Traffic is expected to increase by 40% when the bridge opens and by 100% in 5 years. Perth & Kinross Council presented a Statement of Case to the Inquiry asking for a sum of £1m to carry out the necessary measures to improve conditions for pedestrians and local road users and physically reduce traffic speed. 2 This reflected and supported the views of the affected communities which had been put to the Inquiry by FORK. The Reporter dwelt at length on the problems of the A977. He concluded that the required measures could not be funded solely by Perth & Kinross Council and that the level of funding offered by the Executive was woefully inadequate and should be increased. (See Report of Public Inquiry Upper Forth Crossing File Ref OTG48569).J January 2005 George Reid MSP wrote to the Reporter on our behalf pointing out that when the plans were approved no risk assessment were carried out on feeder roads to Kincardine and that, prior to the opening of the new bridge, the Scottish Executive must ensure effective safety measures on theA977. March 2005 FORK wrote to Tavish Scott MSP, Minister for Transport and Telecommunications asking him to have a meeting with all relative parties to look into the problems on the A977 October 2005 Perth & Kinross Roads Department, George Reid MSP, FORK and Councillor Barnacle had a meeting with Tavish Scott MSP. The Minister had been briefed by his civil servants against our case as they regarded the A977 as a country road and made the absurd claim that only 5% was through traffic. However he agreed to increase the amount for mitigation to £250k. The petitioners felt this was a derisory amount set against the cost of the new bridge which is now £120m (which has risen from the initial figure of £90m.) Nov 2005 Andrew Arbuckle MSP wrote on our behalf to the Minister asking for a substantial increase on the figure of £250k because of the very real and widespread concern in the community. Nov 2005 FORK wrote to George Reid saying we were not prepared to accept the situation and that they would continue to campaign until a realistic and honest appraisal of the traffic on the A977 is accepted as a basis of the traffic mitigation measures. April 2006 FORK (backed by Councillor Barnacle) wrote to all members of Perth & Kinross Council saying that A977 was a forgotten road despite being part of the strategic road network and a necessary diversion route when the Forth Bridge was closed. This was reported in the Courier on April 2006 March 2008 Gordon Banks MP wrote on our behalf to the Minister of Transport Stewart Stevenson regarding the potential growth of traffic on the A977 and the concerns of the residents of the villages through which it passes. August 2008 Councillors Barnacle and Robertson wrote to Transport Scotland but the response once again was that no urgency to address issue of traffic on A977 as it was not in their view a part. of the strategic road network. November 2008 FORK wrote to Keith Brown MSP expressing concern at the idea of re-trunking this road as it will then be left to those who already are in denial about the A977. 4. ADDITIONAL INFORMATION 3 The community in Kinross-shire broadly endorses the need for a new road crossing at Kincardine but as a direct consequence there will be a greater volume of through traffic on the roads leading East and North. The A977 is an important road across the central belt between the A80 and the M90 and carries a high level of traffic throughout the day – a significant proportion is through traffic, particularly HGV’s travelling to the East and North East of Scotland. It therefore should be acknowledged as such and action is needed to ensure the safety and welfare of the communities along this road The A977 is a cross-country route that runs from Kincardine to Kinross, a distance of some 18 miles. There are number of settlements along this road - Forrestmill, Blairingone, Powmill, Rumbling Bridge, Crook of Devon, Drum and Balado – see map. All of these settlements have grown significantly over the last 20 years and further growth is planned for the future. All of these settlements are long established and houses and amenities have grown up on both sides of the A977 with many houses fronting directly on to the road. The A977 is not a trunk road; it was in fact de-trunked in 1996, against the advice of the local authority and in anticipation of a West Fife link that has never materialised. For this reason both the Trunk Roads Authority of the Scottish Executive and subsequently Transport Scotland have steadfastly refused to accept that the A977 is an important and well established route for regular travel. These official organisations regard it as a ‘local road’ and insist that the M80/M9/A9 or the A985(T) are the main roads used by East bound and North East bound traffic. There is also a refusal to accept that the A977 is the alternative route for all traffic when there are restrictions on the Forth Road Bridge and closures – these are expected to increase due to more frequent work on the bridge. This will inevitably increase traffic volumes on the A977.