Several councillors have raised concerns about the lack of action to improve Perth's Broxden Roundabout.
Councillors were surprised Transport Scotland deemed it a “safe and efficient” roundabout.
The comments were made at a meeting of Perth and Kinross Council’s planning and development management committee.
They were made in response to a developer’s request to remove a planning condition to make financial contributions to improve Broxden Roundabout if Transport Scotland assessed the development as having a significant impact on traffic.
Developers I and H Brown Ltd and Rossco Properties were granted in-principle planning permission in January 2021 for a major business development at Inveralmond Industrial Estate.
The 15-hectare site is predicted to create 443 jobs.
A planning condition requested “an assessment of the potential impact that the development would have on the safe and efficient operation of the A9 Broxden Roundabout shall be submitted to, and agreed in writing by, the planning authority, in consultation with Transport Scotland”.
It added: “Where the conclusions of the assessment identify that the potential impact of the development is considered significant by Transport Scotland, the applicant shall be required to agree, before the commencement of development, appropriate mitigation for the A9 Broxden Roundabout to address this impact.”
The committee was told by service manager Kristian Smith Transport Scotland had been asked to attend the meeting - which they declined - but provided “quite an extensive retort”.
He said the government’s transport body was “confident the impacts of this development are not significant and do not require mitigation”.
Council officers recommended the request to remove this planning condition be granted.
Lib Dem councillor Lewis Simpson called Broxden “an example of how not to do it to everyone throughout the world”.
He added: “I’m just quite surprised to see Transport Scotland think everything is alright.”
Mr Smith said the committee was being asked to consider the impact this development would have on the roundabout rather than whether or not there are issues with the roundabout.
It was moved by Conservative councillor Ian James and seconded by SNP councillor Tom Gray who said traffic jams at Stirling’s Keir Roundabout - further down the A9 - were “every bit as bad”.
He added: “It’s a relative thing. It’s traffic on the road. We all use it. We all require it and we’ve got to live with it to some extent. I’m quite sure in the future both will be improved.”
Councillors unanimously agreed to remove the condition but several called for action from Transport Scotland to improve the busy junction.
Lib Dem Perth City South councillor Willie Wilson said: “Transport Scotland asked for this condition and now they seem to be walking away from it. This is Transport Scotland’s responsibility. The last time I asked Transport Scotland what they were doing about plans for improvement they basically said they had no money and it would all be down to developer contributions to the council. That is an inadequate and pathetic answer.”
Lib Dem councillor Willie Robertson was “surprised and disappointed” Transport Scotland did not attend the meeting and suggested the transport agency was “treating the whole thing with contempt”.
He said: “Planning is about looking to the future and making decisions that improve things and don’t make things worse.
“In a thing like Broxden it’s the incremental development - sometimes small sometimes large - that continually adds to the pressures on it and makes for huge tailbacks.”
Councillor Crawford Reid said: “It sticks in the throat when you read ‘the impact that the development would have on the safe and efficient operation of the A9 Broxden Roundabout’. If there’s one thing that is not efficient and safe it’s the Broxden Roundabout. Transport Scotland is a disgraceful organisation.”
Convener Roz McCall said she agreed “wholeheartedly” with the comments made.
The Conservative councillor said: “There is a massive amount of development within Perth and Kinross.
"It’s a way forward to increase investment into the area. It’s something I encourage but we need the infrastructure first. I seriously believe Transport Scotland is well behind the curve on this.”
Following the meeting a spokesperson for Transport Scotland told the PA: “Transport Scotland engages effectively with planning authorities across Scotland and has liaised and agreed a position on this particular application with Perth and Kinross Council and also confirmed that attendance for the committee meeting was not required.
“With regards to Broxden Roundabout, Transport Scotland presented a number of improvement options to council officials last year, however they suggested alternate and cheaper options and we await the details for our consideration.
“We continue to work with Perth and Kinross Council’s planning team on all development proposals.”
