Motorists in Polmont find the way ahead closed as roadworks begin

The work is taking place in Main Street and adjacent Station Road.

The closure began at 7.30am yesterday (Monday) and runs until 5pm on Sunday, July 21.

Falkirk Council has said that it wouldn’t be safe to have temporary traffic lights in place, hence the road closure order.

But residents living nearby are up in arms, saying they face long delays to get anywhere.

Those driving from Brightons to get to Aldi, the Claremont and other businesses off the Main Street need first to negotiate roadworks on Station Road, then follow the diversion round Gilston Crescent and then go back along the Main Street to get to their destination.

Meanwhile, those living in the homes in and around Greenpark Drive and who want to head towards Falkirk cannot turn right on to Main Street but instead need to go left, follow diversion through Gilston Park, drive along Salmon Inn Road and then head to Laurieston. They can also chose to go down Kirk Entry and head into Falkirk that way.

One resident said: “It’s a nightmare with queues everywhere. It’s also crazy because although they have closed the road, they are opening it to allow buses to go through.”

However, another motorist said: “How else are they going to get the work done? And it’s only for two weeks.”

A spokesperson for Falkirk Council said: “We are undertaking road surfacing works. The road has to be closed as we are unable to maintain a safe running lane for traffic under temporary traffic lights. We have traffic marshals on site and a signed diversion route in place.”

Falkirk Council has previously said it does not have enough funds to carry out all the repairs needed.

This year it is spending £3.9 million on roads but councillors were told this was £4 million short of what was needed to maintain highways at the existing standard.

In January, the council’s director of place services, Malcolm Bennie, said: “We are now in a position of what we would call ‘managed decline’.”