Dee bridge hits business
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Business leaders say the economy of northeast Scotland is being severely damaged by its continuing dependence on a medieval bridge with a lit width restriction.
The Institute of Directors says the bridge over the River Dee an the A90 in Aberdeen is the first break in a dual-carriageway link stretching as far south as Italy.
Tom Smith, chairman of the lol) in Aberdeen, has written to Scottish Executive Transport Minister Sarah Boyack urging that improvements to the road be centrally funded.
"Our concern is that there appears to be little acknowledgement of the national economic importance of this section of the Scottish trunk road network," he says, adding that apart from the bridge there arc severe problems with the rest of the A90 cor
ridor through Aberdeen, including significant stretches of single carriageway and more than 20 sets of traffic lights.
Because any new road would take up to 20 years to complete, Smith says delays in making a commitment to essential improvements will leave businesses in the area "severely disadvantaged".
• Bob Armstrong, the Freight Transport Association's director in Scotland, has strongly criticised the multi-modal study for the Central Scotland corridor: "We were well aware that when this was set up it was largely a delaying tactic to put off the decision to upgrade the M80 and M8."
He wants the Scottish Executive to "recognise the obvious" and to "stop deliberating and start delivering".