Orchard Road traffic lights in Forres to be installed in 2023
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TRAFFIC lights that were due to be installed on Orchard Road in Forres at the start of October will now not be put in place until after New Year.
Engineering work at the site has been completed, allowing the road to reopen – as it did on October 10.
However, despite kerbs having been lowered, tactile paving in place and cabling complete, the actual lights will not go in until 2023.
Moray Council said this is due to "global supply issues" caused by the Russian war in Ukraine – as well as a change in the company selling the lights.
The council originally had a contract with Siemens for all traffic light components, as well as design and supply, but the German company put the traffic light section of the company up for sale.
When it was purchased by Yunex, the procurement process had to begin again and the completion of that process was shortly followed by war in Ukraine.
A Moray Council spokesperson said: "While we await delivery of the traffic signal equipment, we can confirm the civil engineering work has been completed and Orchard Road is now open.
"The next phase of the work, installation and commissioning of the traffic signals, will be undertaken when the equipment arrives with us. The road will remain open as it is until then.
"Our order was a design and supply order, which was submitted in 2021. However, the supplier sold their service and a new procurement contract was required with the new company.
"Unfortunately, this led to a pause on the order, during which time global supply chain issues came into play.
"We thank Forres residents for their patience and understanding during this time as we continue to deliver projects in challenging circumstances."
Traffic lights on Orchard Road were originally planned in 2015, after an article in the Forres Gazette a year prior.
However, the process has been delay-ridden. After a £192,000 commitment to get the lights in place in the council's 2022 budget, works began on June 27.
No official date has been given for the installation, but the council confirmed it would be 2023 at the earliest.
