Laurencekirk GSJ

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B9127
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Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by B9127 »

I started this seperate topic as this GSJ has been noted in different topics - anyway as the Chancellor has bestoyed some cash onthe the Scottish Government for Capital Projects does anyone think there is any chance of this being one of them or is it just 'shovel ready' projects that count.
Motorways travelled 2019 - M90 - M9 - M80 - M8 -M77 - M73 -A74(M) -M6-M42-M40 -A404(M) - M4 - M5 -M50 -M56 much better so far than last year
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novaecosse
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by novaecosse »

B9127 wrote:I started this seperate topic as this GSJ has been noted in different topics - anyway as the Chancellor has bestoyed some cash onthe the Scottish Government for Capital Projects does anyone think there is any chance of this being one of them or is it just 'shovel ready' projects that count.
I can't see it.
Transport Scotland won't back down on this, they have produced cost estimates, but they are expecting this to be developer funded. So essentially booted into the long grass.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by B9127 »

What is shovel ready ?
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wrinkly
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by wrinkly »

B9127 wrote:What is shovel ready ?
A project is called "shovel-ready" if it has completed all its legal approvals and design work, so that it's only waiting for financial approval before the diggers can go in.

The term has been bandied about a lot by people who say we need infrastructure projects to boost the economy, but the truth is there aren't that many truly shovel-ready projects, because the approvals process has been slowed down in response to the economic crisis.

The DfT seems to have finally recognised this as a problem, as it has put this on its website today:
Scheme: Development of future national road projects

Cost: £42 million

Description:

continuing the development (detailed design, modelling and preparatory work) of future major road projects to maintain a pipeline of major road infrastructure proposals for delivery in the next spending review

the development work will put in place the necessary preparatory work and analysis to ensure the Department for Transport can plan its future investments and ensure it is in a position to deliver vital future infrastructure

the development funding provides a contribution to UK job creation as it will be delivered in part through the transport supply chain

the department has previously identified a number of future national road proposals and will announce in due course which schemes will have their development work funded, following a process of prioritisation
This is part of this document.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by B9127 »

Following from that what jobs are shovel ready in Scotland now - not many unless they use the windfall for current projects and get other projects quickly online to use the cash after that . There is always £15m fro George Square in Glasgow - what a waste of cash. A local MSP came up with a new Sports centre for Abertay Uni. that would help Joe Public as you are not allowed to use Uni Sports Centres.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by Dougman »

B9127 wrote:Following from that what jobs are shovel ready in Scotland now - not many unless they use the windfall for current projects and get other projects quickly online to use the cash after that . There is always £15m fro George Square in Glasgow - what a waste of cash. A local MSP came up with a new Sports centre for Abertay Uni. that would help Joe Public as you are not allowed to use Uni Sports Centres.
Back a few years ago I used to use the Dundee Uni sports centre, gym etc. has that changed now?
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m80
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by m80 »

B9127 wrote:What is shovel ready ?
These:-

A96 Threapland 
A68 Pathhead to Tynehead Junction 
A95 Lackgie 
A702 Candymill Bend and Edmonstone Brae 
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wrinkly
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by wrinkly »

What about refurbishment of the old Kincardine bridge? That was originally supposed to happen several years ago, soon after the Clackmannanshire was opened.

If I remember correctly the original plan was to leave the site untouched for one winter before starting on the old bridge, as it was thought wildfowl would desert the area if they were disturbed more than two winters running.

Transport Scotland's official table of schemes hasn't been updated for two years, and doesn't show whether detailed design has been finished.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by m80 »

Kincardine Bridge was on the list of shovel ready projects back in March but wasn't mentioned in the recent updated list. However a new addition to the list was 'Trunk Road maintenance £34.0m' so maybe it's included in that?
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by novaecosse »

m80 wrote:'Trunk Road maintenance £34.0m'
25% of that is for me! 8-)
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by cb a1 »

B9127 wrote:What is shovel ready ?
I can think of plenty of potholes that are crying out for a shovel to come near them, preferably full of asphalt.

I recall an audit office report about the massive backlog of maintenance. £1bn* comes to mind as needing to be invested just to get our existing infrastructure up to scratch. Maintenance doesn't need Public Inquiries, doesn't need expensive designs to be tested and developed, etc.

*I could be completely wrong with this figure and ICBA to go and look up the actual value.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by novaecosse »

According to the National Roads Maintenance Review, published in July 2012, the backlog on the entire Scottish network is £2.25bn.
Out of that, the Trunk Road Maintenance backlog is £0.713bn which includes Bridge Maintenance.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by Glen »

novaecosse wrote:Out of that, the Trunk Road Maintenance backlog is £0.713bn which includes Bridge Maintenance.
I guess that will include some fairly substantial bridge projects, such as Kessock resurfacing (which has been delayed twice already, no doubt due to a lack of money) and Cromarty deck refurb (of which a tiny bit has been done so far), both of which are valued at around £20m each.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by Glen »

m80 wrote:A96 Threapland  
Incidentally, the AA sentry box reappeared there last week (it was removed to be repaired when the new ERT it is now next to was installed earlier in the year), even though it will have to be relocated when that scheme goes ahead (as will the new phone).
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by wrinkly »

m80
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by m80 »

So the Kincardine Bridge refurb has been postponed until after the FRC has been built.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by novaecosse »

novaecosse wrote:
m80 wrote:'Trunk Road maintenance £34.0m'
25% of that is for me! 8-)
ok, maybe not 25%... :lol:

but a wedge nonetheless :wink:
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by cb a1 »

Transport Scotland wrote:£24 million boost for Laurencekirk junction

Multi-million funding to take forward the design and construction of a new grade-separated junction at Laurencekirk on the A90 in Aberdeenshire has been announced today by the Scottish Government.

Infrastructure Secretary Keith Brown was in Aberdeen to welcome the news as part of a package of transport commitments for the north east.

The funding will initially allow Transport Scotland to progress the design phases of the junction upgrade, taking the design through Design Manual for Roads and Bridges Stages 2 (route option assessment) and 3 (development of preferred junction option), to the preparation of draft road Orders.

Keith Brown said: “A grade-separated junction at Laurencekirk has been a long-standing commitment of the Scottish Government. We have been working hard with the two local authorities and Nestrans to deliver this much-needed scheme for the people of the north east as soon as possible.
“This significant funding boost for the scheme is a major step forward and we will now take forward the design work. There is still a lot of development work to be carried out and we will continue to work together with our partners to deliver this scheme as soon as possible bringing improved road safety and economic benefits to road users and the local community in Laurencekirk and the north Angus area.
"The funding boost for Laurencekirk is part of an extra £254 million we are investing as part of Aberdeen's City Deal, adding to our already impressive transport infrastructure investment portfolio which includes the £745 million Aberdeen bypass, £170m improvements to the Aberdeen-Inverness rail line, improved road access on the A96 at Inveramsay Bridge, dualling the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness, and preparation work to remove the notorious bottleneck at Haudagain roundabout."
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by Nwallace »

Although a separate topic altogether, also mentioned in the funding is improvements to the railway in the Montrose Basin area.
Hoping that means either a re-opening of the line from Kinaber to Perth or at least doubling the bridge...

Doubling the bridge would have a knock on capacity effect right into Fife.
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Re: Laurencekirk GSJ

Post by orudge »

Funding-wise, I expect it'll be fairly local improvements rather than reopening the old line, but will still be much appreciated I'm sure.
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