Dual the A9 debate comes to Holyrood

Tomorrow (Thursday 20th January 2011), there will be a full debate in the Scottish Parliament on the future of the A9.

Murdo Fraser, Scottish Conservative Deputy Leader and MSP for Mid-Scotland & Fife, has secured a debate on his parliamentary motion 'Dual the A9 Timetable', which calls for a timetable to be set out for dualling the A9 in its entirety between Perth and Inverness.

There will be families' of A9 road accidents victims attending the debate and they will meet with Murdo Fraser before the start of the debate.

Murdo Fraser MSP said:

"The A9 is officially Scotland's most dangerous road with the highest fatality rate of any road in Scotland. It witnesses on average over 200 road accidents per year and has had the highest or joint-highest death rate of any road in Scotland in 2004, 2006, 2007 and 2008. 13 people were sadly killed on the A9 between Perth and Inverness in 2010. While the Scottish Government statisticians are still to release figures for accidents for all roads in Scotland for 2009 and 2010, I believe that they will only confirm once again what road users of the A9 know already: that this is Scotland's deadliest road.

"All politicians must realise that behind these statistics there are many families and friends who have lost loved ones. Being Scotland's most dangerous road is a terrible accolade to hold and the A9 continues to claim too many lives. That is why I am holding a debate in the Scottish Parliament so that the SNP Government can put on record what action it will take to dual the A9 and it must set out a full timetable for dualling upgrades between Perth and Inverness.

"I fully accept that dualling the A9 will not end accidents on the road but it is clear that dualling this road will greatly reduce the number of accidents and save lives. The major problems with the A9 between Perth and Inverness are the long and dangerous stretches of single carriageway and the fact that the road continually switches between single and dual carriageway.

"If the A9 is dualled in its entirety then both of these problems will be eradicated and I am sure that we will see a reduction in the number of fatalities and serious accidents. My website www.dualthea9.com has attracted over 8700 signatures of support from communities across Scotland."

Murdo Fraser's online petition, found at www.dualthea9.com, has attracted over 8700 signatures.

Below is the text of the Parliamentary motion to be debated on 20th January 2011 at 5pm:

S3M-07532# Dual the A9 Timetable— That the Parliament understands that the A9 trunk road has the highest fatality rate of any road in Scotland and that the majority of accidents occur on single carriageway stretches; sadly notes that 2010 had seen 11 deaths on the Perth to Inverness section by 1 December; acknowledges that the A9 between these points continually switches between single and dual carriageway, which, it considers, can cause driver confusion and lead to accidents; believes that upgrading the A9 between Perth and Inverness to dual carriageway in its entirety would reduce the accident and fatality rates and in addition would help ease congestion and bring an economic boost to Mid Scotland and Fife and the Highlands, and accordingly would welcome a full and detailed timetable for such improvements.

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