Chamber and committees

In the past five years 51 calls have been received on the emergency telephones on the A90 north of Dundee.

Transport Scotland’s Traffic Scotland Infrastructure Contractor, Amey Ltd, is paid a monthly Unitary Charge for the inspection, maintenance and repair of ITS (Intelligent Transport System) roadside infrastructure and individual costs specific to emergency telephones cannot be disaggregated.

All emergency telephones on the Scottish Trunk Road Network, including on the A90, are inspected and tested every three months.

The emergency telephones on the A90 are maintained under a term contract managed by Transport Scotland whereby a monthly unitary payment is made, for the maintenance and repair of, Scotland wide, ITS (Intelligent Transport System) roadside assets such as the A90 emergency telephones.

In the summer of 2024, on behalf of Transport Scotland, the Traffic Scotland Service Operator (Mobiie) conducted an Operational Requirement review of Emergency Roadside Telephones (ERT’s) resulting in the recommendation that the ERT’s remain in operation as a service to the public.

Please see the following table which provides the costs of maintaining the 2297 streetlights on the A90.

Following the incident, ecological surveys were required before detailed structural investigations and repair works could begin. These identified protected species in the vicinity of the bridge and as such, repairs could not commence until further surveys were completed. These processes cannot be circumvented as they are a statutory requirement, and Transport Scotland must ensure compliance with legislation.

2296 of the 2297 streetlights on the A90 are fitted with LED bulbs.

Safety concerns are recorded as defects and addressed in accordance with contractual requirements and timescales.

Safety defects and remedial actions on the A90 over the last five years are detailed below:

• A90 840 Portlethan Overbridge – Damaged parapet mesh. Parapet mesh was replaced.
• A90 630 Stracathro Overbridge - Damage to Vehicle Restraint System (VRS) post. VRS post replaced.
• A90 310 Kings Cross West Overbridge – Plugged drain. Drain cleared.

The current estimated costs are £716,432.40. However, this may increase as the investigation and design for the permanent works progresses.

Construction is anticipated to be complete by the end of September 2025. However, investigations and permanent works design are still ongoing. Ecological factors at the site will also severely affect the available construction window

Refurbishment and upgrades to the A90 Kingsway, Dundee Strathmartine and Old Glamis footbridges are planned for the 2025-26 financial year.

These works are currently at the tendering stage so a detailed construction programme is unavailable. Preparatory works have commenced on site with temporary pedestrian crossings being installed prior to the footbridges being removed from site for refurbishment/upgrade.