Murdo Fraser MSP has asked the Scottish Government to look at allowing agricultural vehicles to use part of the M90 motorway to cut down on congestion in Perth.
The Scottish Conservative politician, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, has been contacted by local members of the National Farmers Union Scotland (NFUS), who have expressed concern at the present situation which sees heavy agricultural vehicles having to travel through Perth city centre and residential areas, resulting in “substantial” build-up of traffic and damage to the fabric of roads, pavements, and sometimes even buildings.
Commenting, Mr Fraser said: “There is an ongoing concern that has existed for a number of years about heavy agricultural vehicles moving from one part of Perthshire to another, either east to west or north to south. There are many thousands of such movements every year, which can’t currently be made around the Perth city bypass because of motorway restrictions on the M90/M90 extension parts of the road network.
“The consequence of this is that this heavy traffic can only be routed through Perth city centre and residential areas, causing substantial congestion. At a time when we are trying to discourage heavy vehicles from entering city centres, this seems to make little sense.”
Mr Fraser continued: “I have previously raised the question of whether agricultural vehicles might be permitted on the M90 and M90 extension around Perth with Transport Scotland, but this request has drawn a blank. However, given the increasing size and weight of agricultural vehicles, I hope that this matter can be revisited.
“This is why I have written to Michael Matheson, the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, to find out what criteria would be applied in assessing whether any such change could be made. I know that this request has the support both of Perth and Kinross Council as the local roads authority, Councillor Murray Lyle, Leader of Perth and Kinross Council, and also the East Central branch of NFUS, who have been pressing for this change for some years.”