Luncarty to Pass of Birnam - Transport Scotland

Welcome
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KEY
Existing dualling
Single carriageway to be upgraded
In December 2011, the Scottish Government announced its
commitment to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness by
2025.
INVERNESS
Tomatin to Moy
Dalraddy to Slochd
In December 2012, we started our programme of public
engagement by setting out the design and development
process we need to undertake before construction may start.
AVIEMORE
Kincraig to Dalraddy
Crubenmore to Kincraig
Dalwhinnie
to Crubenmore
Luncarty to Pass of Birnam
KINGUSSIE
Glen Garry
to Dalwhinnie
Then, in June 2013, we presented details of the corridor
assessment work we have undertaken, 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.
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
This exhibition presents the Draft Orders and Environmental
Statement for the Luncarty to Pass of Birnam scheme which
is one of the 12 schemes that comprise the A9 dualling
programme. Information on the following panels includes
details of this scheme and an explanation of the statutory
processes that have been followed. There is a summary leaflet
available for you to take away.
Introduction
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Under the scheme proposals, the
existing 9.5km long single carriageway
section of the A9 between Luncarty and
Pass of Birnam will be upgraded to a
dual carriageway.
Following consultation with landowners and other
bodies, and taking into account the ongoing A9
Dualling Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA)
and Preliminary Engineering Services (PES) assessment
work, the scheme design has now been developed
to a stage where sufficient levels of detail exist to
establish land-take requirements and to progress
the scheme through the statutory processes.
Construction is expected to start in 2017.
Need for the scheme
The A9 is an important transport link which is used by a combination of different vehicle types including
coaches, HGVs, agricultural, tourist, local and long distance traffic. This mix of road usage has led to an
increase in driver frustration, particularly during the summer months and holiday periods.
Along this section of the A9, and in common with the rest of the route between Perth and Inverness, there
is a lack of safe overtaking opportunities which leads to driver frustration. This results in a higher proportion
of severe accidents. In addition, when incidents occur they can cause severe delays.
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Scheme objectives
The development of the A9 Luncarty to Pass of Birnam scheme aims to meet the following key objectives:
• Improve operational performance and
level of service by:
• Improve safety for motorised and
non-motorised users by:
■■
Reducing journey times
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Reducing accident severity
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Improving journey time reliability
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Reducing driver stress
• Facilitate active travel e.g. walking and
cycling in the corridor
• Improve integration with public
transport facilities
• Mitigate the environmental impact
of the new works and, where
possible, examine opportunities
for enhancing the environment and
improving sustainability in design and
construction
• Achieve value for money for both tax
payers and transport users.
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The proposed scheme
(All dimensions are in metres)
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.
All junctions providing direct access to the A9 will
be closed and replaced with two new junctions
which will provide safe access to and from the road
via slip-lanes. These are known as ‘grade separated’
junctions.
A number of new access roads and tracks will be
constructed to provide properties with safe access
to the local road network and the new gradeseparated junctions.
Four new overbridges are proposed to maintain local
assess across the A9, along with the widening of one
existing underbridge and the provision of a new side
road bridge. Other structures, such as retaining walls
and culverts will also be required.
Two new lay-bys are provided in the northbound
direction and one in the southbound direction. The
lay-bys will be separated from the carriageway by a
small island and will provide a minimum of 70m of
parking spaces.
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.
The drainage design for the scheme has been
developed in accordance with Sustainable Drainage
Systems (SUDS) guidance, and through consultation
with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency
(SEPA).
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Protection of the environment
The design of the scheme 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 potential for adverse effects on
the environment. The mitigation developed has also
taken account of the strategic environmental and
design work undertaken for the wider programme of
A9 Dualling to provide a consistent approach to the
route.
An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of the
proposals was undertaken, with environmental
constraints and issues identified and incorporated
into the decision-making process throughout the
development of the scheme. Transport Scotland has
published an Environmental Statement, which reports
the findings of the EIA.
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Environmental sensitivities
A wide range of environmental sensitivities were identified and assessed, with mitigation commitments prepared
as required to ensure protection of 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 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.
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Environmental Impact
Assessment (EIA)
The Environmental Statement contains full details
of the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA),
including the mitigation proposed to avoid or reduce
potential effects. A Non-Technical Summary outlines
the key issues in the Environmental Statement,
including the beneficial and adverse impacts
considered to be of particular importance.
The Environmental Statement provides information
regarding:
• Community and private assets
• Geology, contaminated land and
groundwater
• Water environment
• Ecology and nature conservation
• Landscape and visual
• Cultural heritage
• Air quality
• Noise and vibration
• Effects on all travellers – including
drivers, equestrian, cyclists and
pedestrians
• Materials used for construction.
To inform the EIA process, comprehensive
consultation was carried out with statutory
consultees (Perth & Kinross Council, Historic
Scotland, SNH and SEPA), non-statutory consultees,
local interest groups and community councils.
The project team has worked closely with these
groups to develop a scheme that aims to reduce
environmental effects through careful design and by
avoiding sensitive features.
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Environmental design
and mitigation
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The scheme involves upgrade of an existing road rather than construction of a new road, and this helps
to limit the potential for adverse impacts to occur. However, the scheme passes through a rural area
with some environmentally sensitive and protected areas and also runs close to several communities
and individual properties. Therefore the environmental design incorporates the following:
• Enhancement of the Gelly Overbridge
to support the movement of species
across the new A9 (detailed below)
• Installation of new mammal tunnels
alongside culverts to support the
movement of otter and other species
underneath the new A9
• Installation of bat boxes in areas of
existing woodland
• New and re-routed access tracks and
footpaths, and new community links
including a cycleway/footway linking
Bankfoot and Luncarty
• Landscape planting to replace loss
of habitat, to screen views and to
help integrate the new A9 with the
surroundings
• A range of requirements to 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.
The information maps available at this exhibition show potential changes to noise levels as a result of the
scheme, and set out the landscape, ecological, and access mitigation incorporated into the design.
Gelly Overbridge enhancement
The enhancement of the
Gelly Overbridge includes
a widened green verge that
may also enable its use by
species such as pine marten,
otter, deer and red squirrel,
and may lead to a wider
biodiversity enhancement.
In addition, mixed woodland
planting is proposed on both
sides of the carriageway.
Traffic noise
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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Detailed noise monitoring, assessments and
modelling was 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.
The following plans show predicted noise (decibel)
change between noise levels ‘with’ and ‘without’
the scheme. These are based on expected traffic
flows in 2019. The scheme includes low noise road
surfacing, and a noise barrier is proposed at one
location to mitigate a potential noise increase. With
the scheme in place, no noise sensitive receptors
(such as residential properties) will experience
significant noise increases, and far more dwellings
and other sensitive receptors are predicted to
experience reduction in noise level rather than an
increase in noise level.
Noise change contours plot
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Construction
Construction of the scheme 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:
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• 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 tieins
• 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.
Draft Orders
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
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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 along with Draft Orders. These can be
viewed online at: www.transportscotland.
gov.uk/road/projects/A9-Luncarty-toPass-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 can
proceed.
Construction is currently programmed to
commence 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.
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.
For more information on the proposed scheme, please
visit the project page on the Transport Scotland website:
www.transportscotland.gov.uk/a9dualling
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