More pressure is being put on Transport Scotland to construct grade-separated junctions at Laurencekirk on the A90. 

A report in support of the case has been commended by the board of the North East Transport Partnership Nestrans. It highlights that previous predictions for future traffic levels in the Laurencekirk are have been significantly underestimated. 

At present there is a 50mph zone at the southern exit to Laurencekirk, with speed cameras, in an effort to prevent serious accidents.

The analysis of recent studies also compares the situation with Newtonhill which saw a flyover built by Grampian Regional Council in the early 1990s. The population of Newtonhill in 1991 was 2139. At that time Laurencekirk had 1513 residents, which rose to 1808 in 2001, and 2440 in 2008. With more houses now planned for Laurencekirk, it is estimated that the town’s population in 2023 will be 4768.  

Councillor Ian Mollison told the Nestrans board meeting that he had been one of the campaigners for a Newtonhill flyover. “Our junction with the dual carriageway had been a tragedy waiting to happen. It took up to 40 minutes to get out of Newtonhill in the morning. Thankfully the flyover averted a major loss of life. Laurencekirk is in desperate need of such investment.” 

Nestrans chairman Cllr Peter Argyle commented that if a flyover could be built for a garden centre between Dundee and Perth on the A90 then surely Laurencekirk had a very strong case. 

The report is now being submitted to Transport Scotland, urging the Scottish Government department to give further consideration to grade separated junctions at Laurencekirk.