Disruption on one of Scotland’s most important trunk roads has increased to the point where police are called more than three times a day.
The notorious Edinburgh City Bypass amassed 1,357 collisions and road traffic flashpoints last year, a six per cent increase.
Motorists now face delays at almost any point of the day, with all sections of the A720 vulnerable to severe congestion.
A failure to carry out long-promised upgrades to the busy Sheriffhall roundabout has been cited as one of the reasons for the worsening conditions of the dual carriageway.
The £120 million scheme has run into a number of obstacles, including political opposition from the Greens when they were part of the Scottish Government coalition, and question marks over funding mechanisms.
Transport Scotland, the government quango in charge of trunk roads, remains committed to the improvements – which include significant “active travel” upgrades for pedestrians and cyclists – and is awaiting the nod from ministers to get started.
“The congestion feels worse than ever, and now we learn police are called dozens of times a week to incidents on the road,” said Miles Briggs, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Lothians.
“The failure to improve the Sheriffhall roundabout is significant, and has a terrible impact there and for miles either side of it.
“Motorists are an afterthought for this Scottish Government, and one of the consequences of that is an increase in accidents and collisions.”
The statistics were obtained by 1919 through Freedom of Information.
“Motorists are an afterthought for this Scottish Government, and one of the consequences of that is an increase in accidents and collisions”
The response from Police Scotland showed there had been 336 crashes in 2023/24, as well as a further 1,021 “road traffic matters”.
Officers physically attended around half the incidents reported.
The row over the Sheriffhall upgrades deepened last month when it emerged the Scottish Government had already spent more than £6 million on consultancy fees for the improvements.
And yet the findings of an inquiry into the scheme remain on the desk of ministers, with no date set for when work can begin.
The Sheriffhall roundabout was built differently to all other junctions on the ring road because it lies across coal mining shafts, presenting yet more challenges to engineers.
The proposed improvements would separate local traffic travelling between the east of Edinburgh and Midlothian from the main bypass route.
The road is of significant importance nationally, as it connects the A1 in the east towards England, and major interchanges in the west travelling towards Glasgow and the Forth bridges.
Busy destinations along its route include the Gyle – Edinburgh’s out-of-town financial district, the Straiton retail centre, and a turn-off leading to the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, Scotland’s busiest hospital.
A spokesperson for Transport Scotland said: “The Scottish Government is committed to delivering the grade separation of Sheriffhall roundabout.
“We continue to progress the proposed scheme through the statutory process so we can deliver key improvements at this junction as soon as possible.
“Construction of the proposed scheme can only commence if it approved under the relevant statutory authorisation process.”
“If we use the technology right and in an efficient way, then you will see justice earlier and be reassured that perpetrators will feel the full weight of the justice system”