Ministers set to announce A9 timetable

BBC Scotland has learned that the Scottish Government are due to announce a timetable for the dualling of the A9 from Perth to Inverness.

The news has been welcomed by Mid-Scotland & Fife Conservative MSP Murdo Fraser who held a debate calling for it dualled, and also set up the 'Dual the A9' campaign website which has just under 12,000 signatures.

Murdo Fraser MSP said:

"Whilst it is important that we wait for an official announcement from the Scottish Government so that we can learn the full details of plans for upgrading the A9 between Perth and Inverness, if it is the case that we are now to have a real commitment to a dual carriageway then that is very welcome news.

"This road has been claiming too many lives, causing too many accidents and holding back our economy, and as a result I and other campaigners have been calling for a full timetable for dualling works to be set out for several years.

"Campaigners and families who have lost loved ones on the A9 want to see a full programme for A9 upgrades laid out as soon as possible. It is only right that for a project of this importance and size that the Transport Minister makes a statement in the Scottish Parliament so details and a full timetable can be laid out.

"Dualling the A9 will be good for drivers, good for the economy, good for communities, good for connectivity, good for haulage, and most importantly, good for Scotland."

The Dual the A9 website can be found at www.dualtheA9.com

Parliamentary motion, debated in the Scottish Parliament 20 January 2011:

Motion S3M-07532 - Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party) : 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.

Back to all posts