Transport Scotland, 19/06/2023 Argyll and Bute Local Review Body
Argyll and Bute Council · 11 September 2023
Back to Argyll and Bute Local Review Body — 11 September 2023 and its agenda
Text extracted from the council's PDF. Layout and reading order may differ from the original.
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1 McCallum, Fiona Gerard.McPhillips@transport.gov.scot 23 May 2023 15:05 Fiona I refer to your recent email regarding the above case / planning application and the notification from the Local review Body requesting further information from Transport Scotland, as follows: To request the following written information from Transport Scotland:- Confirmation as to whether or not a condition for signage to be erected on the trunk road would address the road safety issues in respect of vehicles entering and leaving the traffic stream on the A83(T) and waiting to turn right off the A83(T) and, if so, confirmation as to whether consent would be given to the erection of this signage on the A83(T). Transport Scotland would wish to provide the following additional information in response to this request: Transport Scotland would advise that there are already triangular warning signs, together with “Slow” carriageway markings on the A83(T), in place approaching the existing access from both the east and the west – see images below taken from video footage on 22nd May 2023.
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2 Photo 1: A83(T) east of the existing access - from video footage taken on 22nd May 2023 – see here: A83 ‐ Google Maps Photo 2: A83(T) west of the existing access - from video footage taken on 22nd May 2023 – see here: A83 ‐ Google Maps
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3 Transport Scotland’s main concern regarding this access is associated with traffic movements approaching the access from the east where the A83(T) mainline is over the brow of a hill. This means the access is not visible to mainline traffic until quite late – see Photo 1 above and also here looking east from the access back towards the brow of the hill: A83 ‐ Google Maps As a result of the vertical alignment of the A83(T), the stopping sight distance / visibility on the approach to the access is restricted to between 120m and 130m, and the visibility to the left when exiting the access is around the same, whereas the desirable minimum standard for this type of trunk road is 215m. On the basis that there are already existing traffic signs and carriageway markings in place along the A83(T) on both the east and westbound approaches to the access which are aimed at alerting drivers to the presence of the access and the possibility of traffic entering or leaving the trunk road, it would not be appropriate to include a Condition requesting these or additional signage / markings. In considering the planning application Transport Scotland has already taken cognisance of the existing traffic signs and carriageway markings in place along the A83(T). However, despite these being in place, Transport Scotland remains of the opinion that the additional traffic associated with the planning application has the potential to impact on the safe and efficient operation of the A83(T). Transport Scotland would therefore continue to recommend that the application be refused. I trust this this additional information addresses the request of the LRB and helps to set out Transport Scotland’s ongoing position with regards to this planning application. Regards. Gerard a Gerard McPhillips Transport Scotland Development Management Quality Manager Roads Directorate T: 0141 272 7379 M: 07775 547 664 gerard.mcphillips@transport.gov.scot transport.gov.scot