A9 death toll fall is praised by minister
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A "SIGNIFICANT" fall in the number of deaths on a notorious Highland trunk route is the result of average speed cameras, Scotland’s transport minister has said.
Humza Yousaf made the comments after new figures were published covering the three years since the cameras were installed on the A9 between Inverness and Dunblane.
The A9 Safety Group published the data, allowing comparisons with injury rates on the road in the years leading up to the cameras’ introduction.
Ten fewer people died and 16 fewer people were seriously injured when compared against the period from 2011 to 2013
There were also 96 fewer injuries.
Hailing a 40 per cent drop in fatalities, Mr Yousaf said: "I must pay tribute to the work of the A9 Safety Group and recognise that the speed cameras – which were initially heavily criticised in some quarters – have undoubtedly made the A9 safer.
"Alongside successful education and marketing campaigns driver behaviour has improved – 10 lives saved and 37 fewer people seriously injured is testament to that.
"The work of the group will of course continue and with work on the A9 dualling programme progressing I am confident the route will continue to be a safer place."
A9 Safety Group chairman Stuart Wilson added: "Now that we have three years of comprehensive data we can paint a more detailed picture of the improvements we’ve seen as a direct result of the speed cameras, various campaigns, and the HGV (50mph) pilot.
"The number of vehicles speeding has a consistent level of one in 15 now compared with the historic figure of one in three.
"Road closures were also 25 per cent lower in 2017."
