'Reopen slip roads' plea to ease congestion and improve road safety in South Queensferry
‘The traffic flow in Queensferry has been a burden on residents for too many years now’ - Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP
Scottish Lib Dem leader and Edinburgh North Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton is calling for slip roads near the Forth Road Bridge to be reopened to general traffic in a bid to ease congestion in South Queensferry.
He says restricting the slip roads between the A90 and the Echline junction to buses and taxis has removed a key access point into the town, caused traffic to build up and made roads less safe.
Now Mr Cole-Hamilton has written to Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn, urging him to lift the restrictions to cut congestion and improve road safety.
He told the minister: “When the Queensferry Crossing opened and the Forth Road Bridge closed to private vehicles in 2017, the slip roads between the A90 and the Echline junction, between Builyeon Road and Ferry Muir Road, were restricted to public transport only.
“Almost overnight, there was a substantial increase in traffic using Station Road, Bankhead Road, and the B924 - roads that were never designed to accommodate such high volumes of traffic.”
And he said a new housing estate being built at Builyeon Road would mean that the principal route for vehicles in and out of South Queensferry will now be through a residential development and past the new primary school for the estate.
Mr Cole-Hamilton told the Evening News: “The traffic flow in Queensferry has been a burden on residents for too many years now. Many are having to wait in traffic, with my constituents also telling me how unsafe the road is to cross. This is all while a solution sits ready to be actioned.
“Restoring these connections would provide a valuable alternative route for motorists, relieve pressure on the local road network, and reduce the volume of traffic which will pass through a residential neighbourhood and alongside a primary school.
“I hope the Cabinet Secretary takes my concerns seriously, and we see a change soon.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The Forth Road Bridge continues to operate as a dedicated public transport corridor, providing buses and taxis with priority access between the M9 near Newbridge and Halbeath in Fife.
“This arrangement has delivered quicker and more reliable journeys for public transport users, particularly during peak periods.
“Our assessment of both the 2016 Builyeon Road development application and the updated 2021 Transport Assessment were undertaken on the basis that the north-facing slips at Echline Interchange would remain restricted to buses and taxis.
“In both cases, it was concluded that the existing and also associated development traffic in the area could be accommodated satisfactorily on the road network.
“As these assessments incorporated the current junction arrangements, and the public transport corridor remains a key part of the cross-Forth transport strategy, there are no plans to reopen the slip roads.”