Senior members of the Lib Dems in Angus are backing The Courier’s drive to put the brakes on crippling fuel prices.

Angus Councillors David May and Alison Andrews are squarely behind the newspaper’s Fight for fairer Fuel .

They praised The Courier’s stand and urged widespread public endorsement for it, a move echoed by Sanjay Samani, Liberal Democrat campaigner for Angus North and Mearns.

Mr Samani explained,

“I have signed the paper’s petition and applaud The Courier for taking this initiative.”

“There is no doubt that a fuel duty stabiliser will reduce the impact of fuel price rises, making a real difference to hard-pressed families and boost businesses in our rural area.”

“I would encourage people in Angus, Tayside and the North East to sign the petition and show their support for this excellent Courier campaign.”

Sign up your support for the campaign by clicking here for the Fight for Fairer Fuel petition on The Courier website.

Montrose member Mr May, Angus Council’s convener of infrastructure services, has added his signature to the petition as a mark of his full support for fairer fuel.

“As Angus is a rural area, our residents and businesses are at the mercy of rocketing fuel costs,” he explained.

“I call on the UK Government to take urgent action to address the rising price of fuel by postponing the scheduled duty increase in April.

“In my view, this would help stimulate the Angus economy as well as that of wider Tayside by protecting motorists, road hauliers and, in particular, our many remote, rural communities from high and volatile fuel costs.”

His colleague Mrs Andrews, who represents Kirriemuir and Dean on the local authority, said a fuel duty stabiliser was essential for fragile communities buckling under soaring prices at the pumps. She commented,

“Where I live in rural Angus, it’s impossible to manage without a private car.  The area I represent has a high proportion of remote communities where petrol and diesel are a necessity, not a luxury. Families and local businesses are all struggling as it is, and rising fuel costs impact painfully on everyone.”

“I would urge the chancellor to apply his imagination to this problem and introduce a fuel duty stabiliser in his budget.”

Supporters of the Laurencekirk flyover campaign are delighted that a new minster has replaced the heavily criticised  Stewart Stevenson MSP.

Angus and Mearns Lib Dem campaigner, Sanjay Samani commented:

“Laurencekirk junction has been the scene of several fatalities and many serious accidents in recent years, but has been ignored by the previous SNP minister.”

“This is a great opportunity to restore credibility to Transport Scotland’s road safety reputation. The previous SNP minister claimed flyover decisions were made on the basis of safety, but when forced to reveal accident figures by Laurencekirk campaigners, it was clear that congestion was of higher priority to Mr Stevenson.”

“A Transport Scotland spokesperson has stated that the new minister, Keith Brown MSP, will be reviewing all issues under his new portfolio, including  Laurencekirk junction. This is welcome news but Mr Brown needs to take action quickly to prevent further accidents at the junction.”

“Supporters of the campaign, like myself, will be bitterly disappointed by any further delaying tactics. As one MSP on the Petitions Committee put it, Mr Stevenson treated the Committee with “contempt”.  Mr Brown needs to distance himself from his predecessor, by being open and decisive.”

Angus Councillor David May has joined Mr Samani in inviting the new minister, Keith Brown MSP, to see the crossing at rush-hour when it is at its busiest.

Cllr May commented

“I will be writing to the petitions committee to make the offer of that meeting and would be delighted if the new minister would accept. Perhaps I am being a little cycnical but I am concerned that this will once again be kicked into the long grass by the SNP.”

“It is absolutely crucial that this junction is in the 20-year strategic plan — the evidence for the need for the flyover is all there.”

Cllr May added, “Unfortunately the fatalities and the accidents are here and now, this should have been addressed by now.”

Supporters have expressed huge relief that Jill Campbell’s petition for a flyover at Laurencekirk has not been closed.  There were real concerns after Nigel Don MSP had twice suggested it be closed at previous meetings of the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee.

Furthermore, supporters were delighted to learn that the Committee has asked Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson to appear before them to explain his decision not to build a flyover at Laurencekirk.

Safety figures, finally released by the Scottish Government, revealed that there have been no fatal accidents at three flyovers approved by the Minister, in comparison to four tragic fatalities at Laurencekirk, including one just last year.

Lib Dem Campaigner for Angus and Mearns, Sanjay Samani has joined local Montrose councillor David May in welcoming the news.

Commenting on the news, Sanjay said:

“Mr Stevenson has been forced to admit that congestion played a big part in his decision making.  Given that he has previously stated that safety was the main criteria, it is absolutely right that he be recalled to justify his decisions to the Petitions Committee.”

“Others, like Mr Don, have also confused safety with congestion, by linking the need for a flyover to the building of new houses near Laurencekirk. Those who have supported Jill’s campaign for a long time know that the flyover needs to be built on safety grounds alone. The Government’s own figures back that up.”

Cllr May, who wrote again to the petitions committee with further evidence justifying the need for action on the junction, added:

“I am pleased that developments in Montrose have been recognised as adding to the risks of further tragic accidents at Laurencekirk.  It still beggars belief that the Transport Minister has chosen to ignore the evidence he has always had in front of him.”

“I have said before that both Sanjay and I are willing to meet the SNP minister any week-day morning at 7.30 at the junction and he could see for himself the need for a flyover.”

North East MSP and Liberal Democrat Transport Spokesperson, Alison McInnes also commented:

“The Minister has let down everyone in the area with his cavalier approach to road safety improvements. No one locally doubts the need for proper safe junctions on this stretch of road, it is a pity that Stewart Stevenson isn’t listening.”

I was somewhat bemused by Cllr Valentine’s defence of Nigel Don MSP’s delayed support for a flyover at Laurencekirk in a letter to the Montrose Review.  As Mr Don sits on the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee, Jill Campbell’s petition can hardly have failed to come to his attention.

Transport Scotland have finally released safety figures demanded by Jill Campbell and Lib Dem MSP, Mike Rumbles, after years of fudging.  The SNP have approved the building of three flyovers at junctions where there have been no deaths since 1999. There have been four tragic deaths at Laurencekirk, including one just last year.

So why did Mr Don try to close down Jill Campbell’s petition, instead of holding his own SNP government to account? Why has he confused the issue of road safety with the building of new houses?

Local Lib Dems have always called for cross party support. I personally contacted Angus candidates during this year’s General Election calling for cross party support and was met with a deafening silence.

That is why it is even more bizarre that Mr Don has not been more vocal in his support, nor has he met with Jill Campbell, Julie Watson, Mike Rumbles MSP ad myself about the issue.

As for Cllr West’s comments about the previous Scottish Executive’s record, he forgets to mention that the previous administration built no fewer than seven flyovers on the A90 between Perth and Laurencekirk.

It is clear that Laurencekirk should have been the next highest priority.  Instead the SNP administration chose to build flyovers at junctions with no fatalities.

Earlier this year, I visited Laurencekirk junction with Tavish Scott MSP, leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats and Transport Minister in the previous executive, Jill Campbell, Julie Watson, Mike Rumbles MSP, Sir Robert Smith MP and Montrose Cllr David May.  The Lib Dems commitment to a flyover at Laurencekirk is crystal clear.

Instead of defending the SNP government, local SNP councillors and their candidate should be demanding better support for people in Angus and the Mearns, who have been badly let down.

PHOTO: Tavish Scott MSP, Mike Rumbles MSP, Sanjay Samani, Sir Robert Smith MP, Julie Watson, Jill Campbell, and Montrose Cllr David May visiting Laurencekirk Junction.

Photo © 2010 Neve Photography



Liberal Democrats in Angus and Mearns have always called for cross party support for Jill Campbell’s Laurencekirk Flyover Campaign.  So it is welcome that SNP MSP Nigel Don has finally decided to lend his support.  However, there are some serious questions about whether he fully understands the issues at hand.

Why has he TWICE suggested that Jill’s petition be closed whilst sitting on the Scottish Parliament’s Petitions Committee?  Sitting with Jill Campbell and fellow campaigner Julie Watson in the public gallery at October’s Petitions Committee, we were all staggered to hear Nigel Don repeat this suggestion.

He claimed that the flyover will “eventually be built” at the Petitions Committee.  How does he justify this when the SNP Government have categorically said that it will not be built, and have not included it in their Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR)?

Nigel Don has said that, “he treated it very seriously as a road safety campaign”, but then went on to link the flyover to the building of new homes in the area.  Those of us who have been involved with the campaign for a long time, know that the flyover needs to be built for road safety, irrespective of any proposed housing developments.

Nigel Don has been an MSP for the region for 3 and 1/2 years, why has he only now lent his support to the campaign?

Liberal Democrat Mike Rumbles MSP has been holding the SNP Government to account, to ensure that they provide evidence of why other flyovers have been approved, but the one at Laurencekirk has not.  Nigel Don should be doing the same.

It is clear that Nigel Don does not fully appreciate what is at stake – the lives of drivers in the region.  Rather than trying to close down the petition and confusing the issue with house building, he should perhaps take the time to meet Laurencekirk Campaigners Jill Campbell and Julie Watson, Mike Rumbles MSP and myself.   That way we can provide consistent, cross party support for the campaign.

The SNP Governement have overlooked the region and SNP representatives need to be doing much more to stand up for the people of Angus and Mearns.

Nigel Don needs to demonstrate that he understands the issues thoroughly and that he is willing to join in with the cross party campaign for a flyover.

Just a brief note to highlight coverage of Jill Campbell’s campaign for a flyover at the notorious Laurencekirk Junction of the A90 in a recent Press & Journal article:

Campaign stepped up over killer junction

This is not a Lib Dem local campaign, it is one that is being run by Jill, Julie and other local people in the area. It really warrants cross party support, but unfortunately the other parties have not thrown their weight behind Jill.

Technorati Blog Claim Code, please ignore: D3PDW925QYJZ

Cllr David May convener of Infrastructure Services and I met in Forfar recently to discuss the impact of the recent prolonged cold snap on roads in Forfar and across Angus. The weather has resulted in a large and unexpected repair bill for Angus Council. Temparature in Angus dipped as low as -13°C, creating significant problems for the Council whilst working hard to keep the roads open and safe.

Whilst the council had to find funds for an extra 13,000 tonnes of salt just to keep the county’s roads open, the sub-zero conditions also caused considerable damage to road surfaces and pavements, which can deteriorate at a rapid rate.

Cllr May said, “There is no doubt that old pot holes are growing and new ones forming on several main and side roads. The damage is caused by water expanding when it freezes, forcing tarmac apart and loosening the surface. Furthermore, recently repaired pot holes have opened up again. The combined effect has had a huge impact on the council’s budget”

I know that the council are already auditing the roads and prioritising the repairs, working through them as quickly as they can. I would call on the Scottish SNP Government to revisit their financial priorities and support rural councils to ensure their roads are safe. In rural areas, such as Angus, the road system is crucial for residents, businesses and farmers.

Cllr May also highlighted that Angus Council is forecasting that an additional £750,000 may be needed by March to meet the cost of winter maintenance and emergency road repairs and he said, “Although Sanjay and I have noted some pot holes and pavements in need of repair and informed the roads officials, we are not aware of all of them and so I encourage people to call ACCESSLine on 08452 777 778 to tell the council about any road and pavement damage. Furthermore, although the roads officials are inspecting the network for damage and taking action as soon as possible, it also also helpful if people in the Forfar area report potholes and broken pavements.”

I am calling on the SNP government to go further in improving safety at the Lochlands Junction of the A90 at Forfar. Transport Scotland have proposed closure of the central reservation of the A90/A932 due to the accidents which have occurred at that junction.

It was good to see Angus Council’s success in persuading the government of the need for improvements at Lochlands. Whilst closing the central reservation will ease the situation at Lochlands, it may simply move the problem elsewhere. There will be an impact from diverted traffic on local roads, such as the Westport junction, Westfield Loan, West and East High Street. There has to be concern about the risks from large lorries on local roads, particularly for children attending Langland’s primary school.

Visiting Lochlands Junction, and with the number of accidents at this junction, it is clear that something has to be done. There is clearly a need for a flyover, allowing Northbound traffic on the A90 to join the Dundee Road safely. I am joining the campaign to ensure the safety of the people driving to Forfar.

I will be writing to Transport Minister, Stewart Stevenson to call for his support for a flyover, and I also call on SNP representatives Mike Weir, MP and Andrew Welsh, MSP to back Angus Council’s proposals.

Whilst Lochlands has a lot in common with Laurencekirk junction that I blogged about a week ago, each issue needs to be dealt with on its own merits. In particular the Lochlands junction is used by traffic heading into Forfar and beyond. This means that changing access to the junction will have a knock on effect on other junctions and roads. As a result, a flyover is the only sensible option.

I am backing calls for a flyover at the notorious Laurencekirk Junction of the A90. The A937 junction is a well known black spot and is regularly used by North Angus commuters and shoppers making their way to Aberdeen.

There have been enough accidents at Laurencekirk and it is high time Minister for Transport, Stewart Stevenson took action. The SNP Government’s failure to act continues to demonstrate their desire to centralise decision making in Edinburgh. The SNP seems unwilling to listen to or draw on the knowledge and experience of local residents.

I have written to Minister for Transport, Stewart Stevenson asking him to take action. I am also calling on SNP representatives Mike Weir, MP and Andrew Welsh, MSP, to be independent of the SNP administration, and join our campaign to improve safety for Angus commuters and shoppers.

It was disappointing to hear that Transport Scotland see no need for a flyover and I would support the call for the Scottish Parliament to ignore the findings of the study. Saving lives should be of the highest priority when setting transport policy.

I am backing calls by local campaigner Jill Campbell, Liberal Democrats Sir Robert Smith, MP and Mike Rumbles, MSP, along with Montrose Councillors, Liberal Democrat David May and Independent Mark Salmond for the junction to be significantly upgraded.

You can find out more about by clicking here, a link to the campaign’s home page on Bebo, the social networking site.