At a short meeting of the council's executive sub-committee of the infrastructure services committee this morning, members noted a proposal by Transport Scotland, which was backed by Tayside Police, to close the central reservation at the A90/A932 Lochlands junction.

However, following an assessment of the detrimental impact the reassigned traffic would have on the local road network, members agreed in principle to support the proposal by Transport Scotland to close the central reservation at the junction, but only on the basis of the preferred option for Angus Council which would be for Transport Scotland to grade separate the Lochlands junction, thereby allowing northbound traffic to turn right into the Dundee Road.

They also advocated the banning of the right-turn manoeuvre from the A932 to the A90 northwards in the short term, pending provision of the grade separation to cater for northbound traffic turning right onto the A932 to access Forfar via the Dundee Road.

In a report by Mr Eric Lowson, director of infrastructure services, the most recent accident data for the Lochlands junction showed there had been six personal injury accidents in the three year period between February 1, 2005 and February 29, 2008.

Three of the accidents involved vehicles emerging from the A932 northbound, one was a vehicle coming left out of the A932 heading south bound, and two were heading northbound on the A90 turning right into the A932.

The six accidents resulted in one fatality, seven serious and seven slight casualties.

Prior to the meeting, Councillor David May, convener of the infrastructure services executive sub-committee, said: "Angus Council acknowledges the poor safety record of the Lochlands junction on the A90, particularly for that traffic joining from the A932 and heading north.

"However, in order to address this, our preferred option is for Lochlands junction to be grade separated, avoiding any detrimental impact within Forfar.

"The closure of the central reservation would change traffic flows within Forfar, particularly on the Glamis Road, West and East High Street, Westfield Loan and at the West Port traffic lights, which would require to be modified to accommodate the redistributed traffic.

"Bus routes into Forfar from the A90 northbound would also be affected while additional through traffic, particularly HGVs, would be damaging to the environment of the town centre."

He told the meeting the main concerns were the impact the closure would have on traffic in the Glamis Road and Westfield Loan.

He added Forfar, like many other towns, had roads which were no longer built for the level of traffic they are now having to deal with and, without the grade separated option, the impact on Forfar would be "very, very considerable".

The detrimental impact any closure of the central reservation would have on traffic movement throughout Forfar was outlined to members in Mr Lowson's report.

A Traffic Impact Assessment of the proposed closure was undertaken in March 2007 on behalf of Transport Scotland to study the potential impact upon traffic in Forfar resulting from closure of the central reserve at Lochlands.

The study identified an impact on the operation of the West Port traffic signal controlled junction due to the traffic reassignment within the surrounding local road network and a probable increase in traffic along West High Street and through the town centre.

Mr Lowson's report revealed that, if the Lochlands junction was to close, 60% of the redistributed traffic would enter Forfar via the Glamis Road approach to the West Port junction, and the remainder by the A926 Kirriemuir Road.

He said: "This will result in a predicted traffic flow increase of 33% on the Glamis Road approach to West Port.

"Correspondingly, the traffic flow on Dundee Loan is predicted to decrease by 29% in the morning peak and by 46% in the afternoon peak.

"The increase of traffic on these two arterial routes is of concern to the head of roads both in road safety and in capacity terms."

The report stated additional traffic would pass through the town centre throughout the day via West High Street, The Cross and East High Street.

"The increased numbers of HGVs, in particular, would have a detrimental effect on the town centre.

"This will be contrary to the wish to reduce the number of HGVs passing through the town centre and improving conditions for walkers, cyclists and those with restricted mobility.

"The traffic signals at East Port would similarly have difficulty coping in the evening peak."

The report also detailed improvements which would be needed to the West Port junction to restore the operation to acceptable level in terms of capacity.

However, the option considered preferable by the head of roads in the context of the impact in Forfar was for Transport Scotland to grade separate Lochlands junction and, in the interim, implement a banning of the right-turn manoeuvre from the A932 onto the A90 northbound in the short term.

This option would remove the need to upgrade the traffic signals and associated works at the West Port junction and would also mean bus routes that currently access the A932 from the A90 northbound will be unaffected.

It would also avoid the likely increase in the traffic, particularly HGVs, through the High Street.

Bus services from Dundee to Forfar would also be affected by the closure of the Lochlands junction.

Stagecoach has intimated "grave concerns" about the proposed closure and the impact on buses relating to additional journey times and possible route changes.

For reaction to the decision, see the Forfar Dispatch and Kirriemuir Herald, on sale on Wednesday.