Falkirk road improvements 'will help boost economy and create 4000 jobs'

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Improving roads around Falkirk's Westfield roundabout is expected to help create around 4000 jobs and boost economic growth, councillors heard today (Tuesday).

Members of Falkirk Council's executive agreed to go ahead with revised plans that will see the A9 and A904 around Westfield become dual carriageway, in a bid to improve the movement of traffic between M9 Earlsgate junction and Forth Valley College campus.

However, councillors agreed that the plans to build a futuristic bridge taking pedestrians and cyclists over the roads was no longer feasible, despite Levelling Up funding from the UK government of £20 million. READ MORE: Falkirk Council brown bin charge sees councillors inundated with complaints As construction costs continue to soar, the cost of the project has risen to £25 million and is no longer affordable.Instead, the plans show dedicated cycle/pedestrian routes set back from road traffic and new pedestrian crossings that will link Helix Park, Falkirk Stadium, Forth Valley College, and other future developments.The UK government has now said it is willing to give £14 million of Levelling Up funding to help make the area accessible to pedestrians and cyclists.Head of Invest Falkirk, Paul Kettrick, defended the council's decision to press on removing hundreds of trees around the site in preparation for the works."I'd like to stress that irrespective of whether the overbridge is included or not, these works were required for the scheme," he said.Mr Kettrick said that the works had to go ahead when they did to avoid the bird nesting season or the project would have been delayed of a further year, leading to costs increasing further and potentially losing Levelling Up funding.Any delay would also have