Road decision limbo
THE DECISION on whether residents in an Elgin street will lose their homes has been delayed for a second time this year.
Moray Council’s economic development and infrastructure committee was originally expected to choose one of five options aimed at easing traffic congestion in the town on March 8.
However, after ruling out the two most expensive options – the £65 million outer and £24.5 million inner rural routes – a further report was requested on the feasibility of introducing traffic lights instead of a roundabout at the junction of Wittet Drive and the A96.
Just days before the report was to go before committee, the council has now decided to put back any decision until the new Moray Economic Strategy is published in June.
Introducing traffic lights at the junction will not negate the need to demolish houses, as a third lane would have to be introduced.
Mike Looseley, chairman of the Wittet Drive Action Group, said the latest decision was "deeply depressing".
"This has been going on since 2004, and every time we think they’re going to make a decision it gets put off," he said.
"They were on the point of deciding, then decided they didn’t have enough information.
"People have been left in limbo."
The new economic strategy is being prepared following the announcement that Kinloss is to close as an RAF base. The future of RAF Lossiemouth is still uncertain, and a decision on its future may not be announced until July.
The options to have been discussed by committee on Tuesday were the £10 million Wittet Drive route and enhancement of the current network through the town costing £7 million.
Whatever is decided, the council will have to provide road access to a proposed affordable housing development at Bilbohall at a cost of around £3 million.
A council spokesman said: "On reflection, it was considered that any decision on a western distributor road should be postponed until after the publication of the new strategy, which will give direction to Moray’s longer-term economic future.
"We appreciate that there are people, particularly in the west end of Elgin, who are anxious about this issue and who would like to see it resolved as quickly as possible.
"However, it is important that the council looks at the wider picture in coming to a decision, and that is why it was felt appropriate to await the over-arching economic strategy before submitting the further report to committee."
Mr Looseley added the threat to homes had been hanging over residents for almost eight years.
"A cynic might say they are hoping we will forget about it then pass it," he said.
"A lot of people will be in despair. They can’t sell their houses, people are waiting to invest in their homes and putting off doing their gardens or decorating. They’ve been left in limbo.
"Frankly, I don’t see what more information they need.
"With the decision taken on Kinloss, although we don’t know about Lossie, I think it’s a safe bet it’s not going to expand in the near future."
