A9 Luncarty to Pass of Birnam leaflet - Transport Scotland

A9 Dualling – Luncarty to Pass of Birnam Scheme
A9 Dualling – Luncarty to Pass of Birnam Scheme
Construction
The environment
Protecting the natural environment, landscape and
our cultural heritage is an important part of the
scheme and its design has been informed by detailed
environmental assessments, which have considered
the biological, physical and historic environment,
local communities and landowners, and the current
or planned future use of the environment.
One of the main considerations has been the need to avoid or
reduce the potential for adverse effects on the environment. Key
considerations included:
• Designated sites – including River Tay SAC,
Cairnleith Moss SSSI, and Mill Dam SSSI
• Cultural heritage – listed buildings, archaeological
sites and historic landscapes
• Protected species (otters, Atlantic Salmon and
Lamprey, bats, etc)
• Woodlands – including Gelly Wood and parts of
Murthly Estate
• Landscape – low-lying agricultural farmland,
undulated hillsides, watercourses, heathland and
woodlands
• Properties – Bankfoot, Luncarty and isolated rural
properties
• Access – various cycleways and paths and other
recreation areas.
Draft Orders
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the proposals has
been undertaken, with environmental constraints and issues identified
and incorporated into the decision-making process. Transport
Scotland has published an Environmental Statement, which reports
the findings of the EIA and includes topics such as community and
private assets, water environment, ecology and nature conservation,
landscape and visual, air quality and noise and vibration amongst
others.
The scheme passes through a rural area with some environmentally sensitive
and protected areas and also runs close to several communities and individual
properties.
Mitigation has therefore been incorporated to include installation of new mammal tunnels to
support the movement of otter and other species underneath the new A9, enhancement of the Gelly
Overbridge to support the movement of species across the new A9, installation of bat boxes, new and
re-routed access tracks and footpaths and new community links including a cycleway/footway linking
Bankfoot and Luncarty and landscape planting to replace loss of habitat, screen views and help integrate
the new A9 with the surroundings.
A range of requirements will be implemented during construction, including pollution control,
measures to control noise and dust, and timing of works to avoid sensitive periods or night-time
working.
A Non-Technical Summary outlines the key issues in the Environmental Statement, including the
beneficial and adverse impacts considered to be of particular importance and is available at these
exhibitions, and for download from the project website, and at the locations outlined in this leaflet.
Transport Scotland recognises that traffic noise is a
major issue for the local communities in the vicinity of
the A9.
Careful refinement of the alignment and layout of the scheme,
taking into account concerns raised during consultation and at public
exhibitions, has enabled significant impacts to be avoided, and noise
benefits at some locations.
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L u n c a r t y t o Pa s s o f B i r n a m
Construction will generally comprise of work to widen the road
to the west of the existing A9 between Luncarty and Newmills.
From Newmills to Pass of Birnam, construction works for widening will generally
take place to the east of the existing A9. The key construction features include:
• Two lanes of traffic to be kept open as per the existing
situation as far as possible to minimise disruption
• There may be some lane closures for particular activities such
as bridge beam lifting and constructing the tie-ins
• Measures to restrict use of certain roads during construction
may be implemented
• Construction is currently programmed to commence in 2017
• The works are expected to take up to 22 months to complete.
Further consultation with various stakeholders, such as Perth & Kinross Council,
the Police and community councils, will be undertaken in the development of the
contract documentation.
Plans showing the Draft Orders are available for viewing at this exhibition. These are statutory documents
that define the line of the proposed road and associated improvements.
The Draft Orders and the Environmental Statement are also available to view electronically on Transport Scotland’s website:
www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/A9-Luncarty-to-Pass-of-Birnam
Hard copies are available for inspection at the following locations:
Stanley Post Office, 2-4 Percy Street, Perth, Perthshire, PH1 4LU
Mon, Tue, Thurs, Fri: 09:00 to 17:00 | Wed: 09:00 to 13:00 | Sat: 09:00 to 12:30
AK Bell Library, York Place, Perth, Perthshire, PH2 8EP
Mon, Wed, Fri: 09:30 to 17:00 | Tue, Thurs: 09:30 to 20:00 | Sat: 09:30 to 16:00
Bankfoot Church Centre, Tulliebelton Road, Bankfoot, Perth, Perthshire, PH1 4BS
Mon to Fri: 09:30 to 13:30
Transport Scotland, Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow, G4 0HF
Mon to Thurs: 08:30 to 17:00 | Fri: 08:30 to 16:30
Environmental design and mitigation
Traffic noise
DUALLING
PERTH TO INVERNESS
What happens next...
An Environmental Statement and Draft Orders for the scheme were published on 19 March 2014.
This marked the start of Statutory Procedures.
There is a six-week objection period associated with the Draft Orders and a six-week representation period associated with the
Environmental Statement. More details can be found in the Public Notices published with the Draft Orders. These can be viewed online at:
www.transportscotland.gov.uk/road/projects/A9-Luncarty-to-Pass-of-Birnam
Should we receive objections to the Draft Orders which we cannot resolve, there may be the need for a Public Local Inquiry before the
scheme may proceed.
Construction is currently programmed to start in 2017.
The statutory six-week objection period for the Draft Orders and Environmental Statement ends 2 May 2014.
A general comment form is also available at this exhibition for any feedback you wish to provide. Please note that this is not part of the
statutory objections for Draft Orders and Environmental Statement. The closing date for general comments on the scheme is 30 May 2014.
Detailed noise monitoring, assessments and modelling have been
undertaken as part of the EIA, taking into account changes to the road
network, planned developments and likely future changes to traffic.
The assessment has followed best practice guidance and considered all
sensitive receptors that may be affected, such as residential properties.
With the scheme in place, no receptor will experience significant
noise increases, and far more dwellings and other sensitive receptors
are predicted to experience decreases in noise level rather than
increases in noise level.
Further information
More information is available on the proposed scheme at the project website www.transportscotland.gov.uk/a9dualling
If you have any queries or any comment on the project, please contact:
A9 Dualling Team, Transport Scotland, Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow G40HF
Telephone: 0141 272 7100 Email: A9dualling@transportscotland.gsi.gov.uk
A9 Dualling
Luncarty to Pass of
Birnam Scheme
Draft Orders and
Environmental Statement
April 2014
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A9 Dualling – Luncarty to Pass of Birnam Scheme
Introduction
In December 2011, the Scottish Government
announced its commitment to dual the A9
between Perth and Inverness by 2025.
The programme of public engagement began in
December 2012, when we set out the design and
development process we need to undertake before
construction can start. In June 2013 we presented details of
the corridor assessment work we have been undertaking,
along with the emerging preferred route for dualling
schemes between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam and Kincraig
and Dalraddy. We previously consulted on the route
options for Luncarty to Pass of Birnam in early 2012.
This leaflet provides a summary of the exhibition panels
including the background and benefits of the scheme,
information on the Draft Orders, Environmental Statement
and the statutory procedures that have been followed and
what happens next.
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INVERNESS
Tomatin to Moy
The existing 9.5km stretch of single
carriageway will be widened to full dual
carriageway standard, providing safe and
guaranteed overtaking opportunities in both
directions. Construction is expected to start
in 2017.
All existing at-grade access to the A9 will be closed,
however, two grade-separated junctions are included in
the scheme – at Tullybelton & Stanley and at Bankfoot.
Several new access roads and tracks will be constructed
to provide properties with safe access to the local road
network and the new grade-separated junctions.
Bridges and other structures such as retaining walls
and culverts will also be required, as will new lay-bys.
A number of new footway/cycleways are proposed
which will maintain and enhance the local path network
for non-motorised users. This includes a new link
between Luncarty and Bankfoot.
KEY
Dalraddy to Slochd
AVIEMORE
Kincraig to Dalraddy
Existing dualling
Single carriageway to be upgraded
Crubenmore to Kincraig
Dalwhinnie
to Crubenmore
The proposed scheme
The A9 dualling
programme
comprises of 12
schemes.
KINGUSSIE
Glen Garry
to Dalwhinnie
Need for the scheme
BLAIR ATHOLL
PITLOCHRY
Pitagowan to Glen Garry
Killiecrankie to Pitagowan
Pitlochry to Killiecrankie
Tay Crossing to Ballinluig
Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing
Luncarty to Pass of Birnam
PERTH
The A9 is an important transport link used by a combination
of different vehicles including coaches, HGVs, agricultural,
tourist, local and long distance traffic. This mix of road usage
leads to an increase in driver frustration, particularly during
the summer months and holiday periods.
Along this section of the A9 there is a lack of safe overtaking opportunities
which leads to driver frustration. This results in a higher proportion of severe
accidents and when incidents occur they can cause severe delays.
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(All dimensions are in metres)
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