Amendments have been made to the construction process of the much-disputed Cross Tay Link Road (CTLR) project to reduce its carbon footprint following backlash from local communities and public figures.
Perth and Kinross Council says contractor BAM Nuttall (BAM) has undertaken “detailed design development and changes to construction methodologies” and claims to have reduced the carbon output by over 35,000 tonnes.
This is the equivalent of taking more than 20,000 small cars off the road for a year, according to calculations based on statistics from the Department of Transport.
BAM was contracted to reduce carbon by 30 per cent of the baseline from the original design by PKC, but is said to have exceeded this target by almost 35 per cent.
Further carbon reductions are being targeted during the construction phase of the project.
It comes after last month Perth and Kinross councillors voted to approve ploughing an additional £32.5million into the CTLR’s construction. This brought the total budget for the project to more than £150m.
Following the announcement, Labour Carse of Gowrie councillor Alasdair Bailey proposed a motion calling for the council’s SNP administration to delay or stop the project on climate grounds.
Audit Scotland’s Accounts Commission had just published a briefing telling local authorities to put climate change “at the heart” of their decision making.
The CTLR project has also received constant push back from residents and community groups in Scone since its announcement, raising concerns over traffic pollution, growing congestion and noise.
Professor Jill Belch of molecular and clinical medicine at Dundee University is one who has spearheaded that opposition as lead of the Scone Community Council.
She said the overspend was “frankly unconscionable when we have a climate crisis”.
BAM Nuttall project director William Diver said: “There is no way to undertake the construction of a complex major infrastructure project such as the Cross Tay Link Road without having significant carbon outputs, however with careful design and project management combined with smart project delivery we can make considerable carbon reductions.”
The Cross Tay Link Road project involves the construction of a new three-span bridge over the River Tay and six kilometres of new road linking the A9 and the A93 to Blairgowrie and the A94 north of Scone.
It also includes the realignment of two kilometres of dual carriageway on the A9 just north of Inveralmond Roundabout.
The new road aims to significantly reduce traffic congestion and related pollution in Perth city centre while opening up active travel opportunities and giving access to areas around the city for sustainable development.
To help keep carbon emissions to a minimum, the project has been designed to recycle every tonne of earth that needs to be moved during construction.
Earth materials from excavations are moved to form other features, for example road embankments needed in the overall design.
By keeping all earthworks movements within the site boundary, PKC says the contractor has “significantly reduced” construction traffic being added to the local road network. This, along with changes to road pavements, footways/cycleways and road drainage by using more sustainable solutions and the use of lower carbon materials along with design changes to the bridge structures will all helped BAM surpass its carbon reduction targets.
“Simple steps like using modern plant with low fuel consumption, GPS enabled plant and sustainable material selection and sourcing locally all contributed towards the lowering of the carbon footprint of the project,” added William.
“This is just the start of the construction phase, so we will be refining and improving the way we work to deliver even more carbon reductions as the project develops.”
The Cross Tay Link Road is the largest infrastructure project Perth and Kinross Council has ever undertaken.
“Reducing carbon output is a key deliverable for the project when it is complete as it will act as an enabler to help shift traffic out of the city centre and promote active travel options,” said the council’s roads infrastructure manager Jillian Ferguson.
“We are pleased with the progress BAM is making in putting carbon reduction as a central theme during the detailed design and construction phase of the project.”
