Note of meeting of "Grangemouth Transport Forum" - Friday 20th July

Meeting organised by Cathy Peattie's office in conjunction with Grangemouth Community Council

Attendance: Community Council - Walter Inglis, Tom Wilson, Malcolm Richards, Pat Young, Allan McCallum, Allan Marshall, Betty Adam, Anne Smith, Julie Reid; Allan MacDonald; Falkirk Council - Cllr Angus Macdonald; Cllr Allyson Black; Cllr Alistair McNeill; Sandy Brown (Roads Development); Kevin Collins (Transport Planning); Police - CI Brian Rennie; Sgt Jim Allen; Alan Burns (Forth Ports); Ray Mountford (Ineos); Eddie Morrison (BP); Alistair Short (SESTRAN); Cathy Peattie MSP, Michael Connarty MP, Dave Smith

Tom Wilson introduced the meeting as Chair of the Community Council, and then passed the chairing of the meeting to Cathy Peattie.

The meeting began with a presentation by Walter Inglis

Issues addressed by the ensuing discussion included

• Growth of Grangemouth as intermodal hub

• Capacity of existing roads in Grangemouth area, and possibilities for upgrading / use of alternative routes (e.g. canal, one way systems, etc.)

• Problems of heavy traffic e.g. on Inchyra Road

• Noise monitoring

• Need for accessible traffic data

• Signage

• Need for improvement in routes to Grangemouth (Icehouse Brae, Avon Gorge)

• Consideration currently being given to improving M9 junctions 5 & 6 / new junction 6 further north

• Impact of expansion of the docks / intensification of use of existing facilities

• Wider context - Trans European Transport Network

• Competition with other transport projects and addressing the anti-roads lobby - improving roads to get freight off roads should have widespread support.

• Incorporation of improved public transport into plan / need to have network rail and bus company involvement in group

• Meetings between, and involvement in this group, of other transport managers.

It was agreed that there was a need for a "business plan" for development of the intermodal hub, to integrate freight transport with improved local infrastructure, that could be put to the Scottish Executive for support.

The following agreed to meet to take the development of such a plan forward, reporting back to the wider group (including others who had been unable to attend this meeting): Cathy Peattie, Allan Burns, Kevin Collins, Walter Inglis, Allyson Black, Angus Macdonald, Julie Reid, Ray Mountford.