Douglas Lumsden has called for the A90 to be dualled if the North East is granted freeport status later this summer.
Douglas, alongside Ellon and District Councillor Gillian Owen, said that the bid for freeport status cannot be hamstrung by an inadequate road network. Visiting the Toll of Birness junction with Councillor Owen, Douglas again called for a project to dual the road to be included in the Scottish Government’s Strategic Transport Projects Review 2.
Douglas said: “The Scottish Government has been in the slow lane for the last 15 years on upgrading the A90 at the Toll of Birness, and this especially needs to change if we are granted freeport status. It’s imperative that this fantastic project isn’t hamstrung by an inadequate road network connecting Aberdeen and Peterhead.
"For too long the Scottish Government has turned a blind eye to the safety issues that continue to persist at the Toll of Birness, but I believe if we were granted a freeport, then ministers would have no choice but to upgrade the road.”
Councillor Owen, who runs the Why Stop at Ellon campaign, described freeport status as "transformational" for the North East of Scotland and that if the region were to be successful then there would be "no excuse for the Scottish Government to stall on upgrading the A90 any longer."
Highlighting the danger of the junction the Ellon and District Councillor noted how North East commuters regularly have to deal with serious accidents on the junction. She stated she believes that a freeport would finally force the SNP Government to act after 15 years of neglecting the route.
