Elgin to Lossiemouth A941 safety petition refused
A petition asking for road safety improvements on the Elgin to Lossiemouth stretch of the A941 has been rejected.
The petition was organised by RAF Corporal Luke Stevenson, and was estimated to have been signed by over 110 people.
Cpl Stevenson, who works in mechanical transport at RAF Lossiemouth and regularly drives the A941 and B9135.
His petition asked Moray Council to commit to a number of road safety measures, particularly at the Muirton junction, which is an accident black spot.
Some of these requests included better signage and solar powered cat’s eyes.
Councillors said they were “grateful” to Cpl Stevenson for bringing the petition forward, but told him the proposals “would not deliver the required results”.
Cpl Stevenson said he organised the petition after becoming “aware of so many near misses” on “such a short stretch of road”.
He added: “Everyone that signed my petition had their own story of a near miss or a potential collision that they’d seen.”
“I’m obviously extremely grateful, first to be invited by the council and even more grateful to the community that supported the petition.”
Cpl Stevenson said it was “frustrating” to not see the petition moving forward but understood the council’s position.
He added: “I think getting the signatures has given them a bit more a focus that road safety is still important to the community.”
Cpl Stevenson said his main priority would be to install solar powered cat’s eyes on the road, which would be like “looking down the runway at Lossiemouth”, and “massively improve people’s awareness”, particularly on the Muirton junction.
He added: “Personally, I’d hope to see a physical change within this year.”
Cpl Stevenson put forward ten recommendation for the council to consider, including the cat’s eyes.
These included:
•Rumble strips
•Markings to indicate ‘no overtaking’
•‘Harsh’ corner signage
•Reducing the speed limit on the A941 and the B9135
•A slip road on the Muirton junction
•Installation of a speed camera on the B9135
The petition also asked for improved lighting and markings on the coastal path, as well as improved storm drainage.
Despite the rejection of the petition, the council has indicated it is looking at the cat’s eyes as an option for Moray’s roads, with the A941 a “priority.”
Councillor John Cowe (Heldon and Laich, Independent), who lives in Lossiemouth. said: “It’s a difficult one, but in essence there is nothing wrong with the road, there’s nothing wrong with the junction.
“It’s driver behaviour – and I have seen it time and time again.”
Committee chair Marc Macrae, on rejecting the petition, said the committee agreed with the concerns, but noted that the “actions requested would not deliver the required results”.
He added the committee was “grateful” Mr Stevenson had raised the issue and that he and local community councils would be kept involved with any A941 developments.
