Minister Tells Stevenson Hatton Bends Scheme To Start In Spring

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has been assured by Transport Minister Nicol Stephen that improvement works to remove the notorious Hatton Bends on the A90 will commence in Spring next year.

The MSP received the assurance after firing-off an angry letter to the Scottish Executive after it emerged that the improvement works had been delayed for a fourth time. The Minister cited difficulties with new legislation and its implications on land acquisition as the reason for this recent delay.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“We have been promised by successive Transport Ministers for nearly four years now that work to improve this notorious accident blackspot, which has been the scene of fatalities in recent years, will be starting soon.

“I am pleased that the Minister has assured me that work will commence in the Springtime but I am not taking anything for granted and my constituents can be sure that I will remain on the Minister’s case until this becomes reality.

“Delivery of this promise has been delayed time and time again and this is simply not on. As well as being an accident blackspot, the Hatton Bends simply should not be there in this day and age. We need a modern infrastructure to move goods and produce from Buchan southwards, but instead we have an A90 with bottlenecks such as this.”