Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee 23 April 2025
The next petition is PE1967, lodged by John Urquhart on behalf of Helensburgh and District Access Trust and the Friends of Loch Lomond and the Trossachs, seeks to protect Loch Lomond’s Atlantic oakwood shoreline by implementing the high road option for the A82 upgrade between Tarbet and Inverarnan. The petition calls on the Scottish Parliament to urge the Scottish Government to reconsider the process for selecting the preferred option for the planned upgrade for the route and to replace the design manual for roads and bridges-based assessment with the more comprehensive Scottish transport appraisal guidance.
At our previous meeting, the cabinet secretary referred to improvements that are already benefiting road users and communities along the A82, such as the new viaduct at Pulpit Rock and the bypass at Crianlarich. We also heard that concerns similar to those that the petition puts forward were previously raised with Audit Scotland, which had investigated the issue and confirmed to Transport Scotland that it had considered the requirements contained in the STAG guidance and reviewed relevant evidence, and had concluded that the STAG process had been applied in the initial stages of the work on the A82.
The cabinet secretary was also candid in saying that, because of the interaction between the A83 and A82, it would not be appropriate to work on both roads at the same time, and that as a result of safety issues and economic importance, the A83 would be prioritised.
We explored the process for considering the various options proposed, including at what point in the process the STAG appraisal or DMRB guidance is applied. Officials also indicated that dialogue is continuing with the Loch Lomond and the Trossachs National Park Authority on the detail and make-up of the preferred route option.
The cabinet secretary also told us that consideration is being given to the feasibility of combining with adjacent schemes to make sure that the tree line and other environmental aspects are considered. She emphasised that there is still time left in the process to address issues relating to landscaping and the interaction with Loch Lomond’s natural environment.
In light of that, do colleagues have any suggestions for how we might proceed?