Murdo lodges motion to dual the A9

Dec 14 2010 Perthshire Advertiser Tuesday

A PARLIAMENTARY motion calling for a detailed timetable to be set on dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness has been lodged in the Scottish Parliament.

Road safety campaigner Murdo Fraser MSP, who has launched the website www.dualthea9.com and an online petition which has seen over 8300 signatures, plans to hold a members’ debate on the motion early in the new year.

His motion states 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.

This year there were 11 deaths on the Perth to Inverness section up to December 1.

The Mid Scotland and Fife Tory’s motion has acknowledged that the A9 between the two cities continually switches between single and dual carriageway, “causing driver confusion and leading to accidents”.

He told the PA yesterday that he believes a complete upgrade of the route’s status between Perth and Inverness would reduce accident and fatality rates, as well as helping to ease congestion and bring an economic boost to Highland Perthshire and neighbouring areas.

“The road users of the A9 understand that this road must be upgraded to dual carriageway status between Perth and Inverness,” he claimed.

“There is real anger and dismay in Perthshire and the North of Scotland that there is still no timetable or a set programme for A9 dualling.

“The SNP Government must see sense and understand that the devastation that this road has caused to so many families means it must set out a timetable for full dualling between Perth and Inverness.

“As my motion sets out, the A9 has the unfortunate accolade of having the highest fatality rate of any road in Scotland.

“The stark statistics that make the A9 Scotland’s deadliest road are a result of real human tragedies, which families and friends losing loved ones.

“Between Perth and Inverness, there are long and dangerous stretches of single carriageway and the road continually switches between single and dual carriageway.

“The long stretches of single carriageway cause driver frustration and the road switching between single and dual carriageway cause driver confusion.

“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.”

Mr Fraser said he planned to hold his political rivals to account over the long-running issue.

“The Government must show people in Perthshire that they will keep their manifesto pledge and dual the A9,” he said.

“It is clear that the A9 is one of the roads in Scotland that needs urgent action and upgrading to dual carriageway status.”