ALL THE REACTIONS FROM THE VOTE TO ABONDON THE WESTERN LINK ROAD IN ELGIN.

Yesterday Moray Councillors voted 13-11 in favour to Abandon plans to build a rail crossing and link road in Elgin.

The decision was taken during a Full Council debate on the council’s capital expenditure programme, which senior officers described in a report as unsustainable.

Conservative Cllr Douglas Ross who was one of the 13 who voted in favour of Scrapping the plans said:

"It was a long meeting with various deferrals and adjournments but

ultimately we got to the correct decision.

"There have been people on both sides of this argument for decades. There have been false hopes for opponents before when planning permission was refused only for the project to be brought back in just a few days later.

"I have always said that it was the wrong proposal in the wrong location and today brings years of representing these views in the council chamber to an end.

"The dire financial situation led to the vote being proposed and the Western Link Road being scrapped. It was clear that this project, simply on financial grounds, could not be a priority over other projects while our capital plan was unsustainable.

"When the planning committee I chaired refused the application I thought the project had come to an end but it was quickly resurrected. The vote now taken by the council is clear and final, the Western Link Road is now scrapped and I know many people who have been campaigning against this for many years will welcome this outcome."

With the whole of the SNP group voting in favour of scrapping the plans

SNP Group Leader Cllr Gary Coull said:

“The SNP have been heeding the warnings over the Council’s finances, which is why in February we proposed a far more sustainable budget than the Council’s Tory/Independent Administration.

“Today we have seen that the Council’s Independent/Tory Administration are totally all over the place losing key votes.

“Our own proposals identified further capital savings which we then used to protect areas of spend that are important to our communities across Moray. We have protected play parks, public toilets and road safety.

“One of the most important areas we have been able to protect is spending on development of flood schemes for Dallas, Hopeman and Portessie. Progressing that work is hugely important for the peace of mind of people that have suffered flooding in our communities in recent times.

“SNP Councillors have repeatedly stated that the Western Link Road project is unaffordable in the current circumstances and it looks like our arguments have been heeded by at least some of the Council’s Administration.

“Strategic leadership and direction by the Council’s Independent Council Leader Stewart Cree was nowhere to be seen today. They have clearly lost support from some of their own Administration Councillors on strategic issues.

James MacKessack-Leitch, Moray Greens Convenor, and long time Link Road opponent. also had his say over yesterday's Vote. Mr MacKessack-Leitch said:

“After 15 years and numerous changes it finally looks like the proposed

Western Link Road has been dealt a fatal blow, and it’s one I wholeheartedly welcome."

“In the context of the wider budget, this decision also frees up investment for many more worthwhile projects, and allows the Council to focus on what Moray actually needs.”

“The scrapping of the proposals at this time has come as a bit of a surprise – my fellow campaigners and I were already gearing up to fight the next planning application expected later this year – however, if this decision means that we can get on with our lives then it is truly welcome.”

“At this point I would also like to pay tribute to those I have campaigned alongside, from across the political spectrum, as well as the hundreds of ordinary folk from Moray and beyond who have marched with us, written in, and supported our efforts – if anything, this is a victory for determined people power, and without the support of the vast majority of the community it is unlikely we would have come so far.”

“I hope that now we can all move on from this chapter and work towards proportionate and lasting solutions for Elgin’s economic development and traffic management.”

However the Leader of Moray Council, Cllr Stewart Cree, who voted to

keep the project in the plan, said it would be a grave error to abandon the project that had been approved as a council priority.

He was supported by Cllr John Cowe, who said the existing crossing overt he Inverness-Aberdeen railway was already at 103 per cent capacity, and that the new crossing would have had major benefits.

“The road would have generated an estimated £6m in council tax

revenues, and a potential boost to the local economy of £100m,” he said.

He added that a new crossing would have to built at some stage, it will now simply cost more.