New Gordon and Buchan MP Harriet Cross has backed a petition calling for the A90 Toll of Birness junction to be made into a roundabout.
The petition to Transport Scotland, an agency of the Scottish Government which oversees the junction and the wider A90 north of Ellon, states that the call for an upgrade is a “cry for safety in Aberdeenshire”.
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Almost 200 people have signed the petition, which describes the junction as being “neglected” and that building a roundabout would be a crucial measure to prevent an “avoidable tragedy”.
Ms Cross, who was elected earlier this month, has already made the upgrade of the Toll of Birness junction and the A90 north of Ellon one of her key priorities as an MP.
The petition comes as drivers are today facing an 18-mile diversion while speed cameras are installed at the junction.
The A90 at Toll of Birness has been the site of several crashes over the years, including one in May where four people were taken to hospital.
An A90(N) and A952 transport study from regional transport body Nestrans has now reached the ‘preliminary options appraisal’ stage and has identified a roundabout as being a possible replacement for the Toll of Birness junction following a public consultation.
On the petition, Scottish Conservative MP for Gordon and Buchan, Harriet Cross, said: “This petition underlines the strength of public feeling towards replacing the Toll of Birness junction with a roundabout to improve safety.
“From the reaction of road users since the announcement that speed cameras were to be installed, they rightly believe that structural improvements need to take place at the junction rather than just installing devices to catch, but not necessarily reduce, speeding.
“We have had a terrifying number of collisions on the road, many of which have tragically resulted in lives being lost.
“For too long commuters have had to contend with daily accidents and near misses, yet the SNP government seem totally oblivious to the terrifying safety issues at the Toll of Birness.
“17 years on from when Alex Salmond promised to dual the road in his first 100 days in office as First Minister, families are still experiencing trauma and have been left to pick up the pieces from false political promises.
“I fully support this petition and have made the upgrade of the Toll of Birness junction and the dualling of the A90 north of Ellon a key priority in my work as the MP for Gordon and Buchan.”
