A bypass is the only way to solve traffic problems in a West Lothian village caused by trucks and traffic cutting through to the Queensferry Crossing, a senior councillor has claimed.
The claim comes after fears the village of Newton is being used as a rat run for traffic heading to the bridge, causing jams and fears over pollution from so many vehicles.
Plans for a bypass at Newton were first tabled 12 years ago and dismissed because of costs.
But after a six-week trial of traffic restrictions failed to shift vehicles away from the village road the concept has been put back on the agenda.
Councillor Tom Conn told a meeting of the Linlithgow Local Area Committee that the trials in the village proved “that we’re going round in circles to arrive at the same place”.
Members of the village community council attended the meeting to hear Roads Network Manager Gordon Brown say that there had been no significant reduction in the numbers of vehicles, including HGVs using the A904 – the village main street – during the six-week week trial from late May into early June.
“The volume of traffic remained similar and we can conclude that the trial was unsuccessful in its main aims.”
The trial had seen the main road have temporary restrictions installed at either end of the main street, essentially building out into the road to create one lane, giving priority to vehicles travelling in one direction.
Speeds were reduced, but mainly because long queues built up, typically lasting 30 minutes westbound and 15 minutes eastbound.
These queues generated concerns from villagers who complained about more noise and traffic fumes from idling engines.
Noise pollution readings were taken and Mr Brown agreed to speak with Environmental Health officers to urge results be passed to the community council before the January meeting of the local area committee.
Air quality monitoring equipment was not working.
Mr Brown said: “ We are very limited as to what we can do because it is an A-road.”
He agreed to meet with the community council to discuss the phasing of the traffic lights as a mitigation measure.
Councillor Conn said: “We are going round and round in circles and getting nowhere.
“We have got to look outside the box and the only solution that is going to work is a bypass.
“When the Queensferry Crossing was being planned the community council looked at the plans for a bypass
but couldn’t agree on whether to have one road south or north of the village.”
He said that the lack of local government funds for a bypass suggested that the only way ahead
was to have discussions with a housebuilder who would be prepared to provide a road as part of a housing development, as has happened in Wilkieston.
Councillor Conn said: “To be blunt, if something like that is not done we’ll be here year after year.”
Douglas McInnes, a past chair of the community council said that the figures quoted by Transport Scotland when a bypass was first mooted were £54million for an undivided two-way road, while another scheme for a dual carriageway would cost £154m.
Mr McInnes said that while at a Scottish government hearing: “I overheard someone from Transport Scotland saying we would be
cheaper buying every house in Newton and giving these people new houses.”
Councillor Sally Pattle, chairing the meeting said: “I think I’m going to raise an action point.
“Could you, Gordon, get us a contact for Transport Scotland and we can talk to them?”
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