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Hauliers beg council to upgrade A8000
Page 10
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s by Emma Penny
Scottish hauliers' representatives are calling for urgent upgrading work on the A8000, the road linking the Forth Road Bridge and M8 at Newbridge outside Edinburgh.
Warning that eight weeks of roadworks starting in early October are only about upgrading the pavement, the Road Haulage Association's Scottish regional director Phil Flanders says the road—a major link—needs upgrading to dual carriageway.
We need to see more support from the Scottish Executive and local authorities in improving road infrastructure. I urge the authorities to do something sooner rather than later."
The road, which is about a mile of mostly sin
gle carriageway, is often beset by delays and has numerous potholes, says Flanders.
"Delays have become much worse since a retail park was built next to the road. We now have traffic lights and a pedestrian crossing to contend with, and it has become a major pinch point."
Agreeing with the need to upgrade the road, Kirkaldy-based haulier Andrew Wishart says constant delays and congestion on the A8000 add at least an hour each way onto his drivers' journeys—at any time of day. "And when there's an accident, drivers just have to sit in traffic until it is removed; because it's single carriageway there is no way round."
Flanders says that Edinburgh City Council. which looks after the road, has said that it will be upgraded at some point, but he stresses that it needs doing as soon as possible.
lie adds that the Forth Road Bridge board has been given powers to spend toll money on upgrading infrastructure, and says the A8000 will come under this plan.
"We don't know when the work will be done, but we will be making representation to the Scottish Executive and Edinburgh City Council."