Highland campaigner Laura Hansler secures a committee inquiry into A9 dualling failures
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The campaigner whose drive to put the A9 dualling programme at the top of the political agenda due to lives lost on the road says she “sincerely welcome the announcement of an upgrade of the A9 petition to an inquiry.”
The Scottish Parliament’s public participation and petitions committee announced the development this morning after “hundreds” of public responses to their consultation call based on Laura Hansler’s petition.
She went to the committee demanding, with public support, a revised timetable and detailed plan for dualling each section and a memorial to those who have lost their lives on the road.
Since then there has been a revelatory committee meeting with transport secretary Mairi McAllan and Transport Scotland officials where Ms Hansler said she fears lives were lost due to political failures.
She also has issues with transparency at Transport Scotland and the Scottish Government so welcomes the upgrading of the petition into committee inquiry which will see current and former cabinet secretaries called to give evidence.
Yesterday Ms Hansler expressed dismay at the length of time scheduled to deliver the delayed Tomatin-Moy section, which is now expected to cost £35 million more and not be finished before 2027.
“I sincerely welcome the announcement of an upgrade of the A9 petition to an inquiry," she said.
“Those that signed the petition, those that drive on the A9 and especially those that have been or will be injured, those who have tragically lost their loved ones on the road are the reason why this is so exceptionally important.
“It is to be commended that the Scottish Parliament are holding the government to account, and will scrutinise just how we have ended up in this wholly unacceptable situation.
“The committee’s cross party unanimous support for the petition is clearly a strong commitment. The A9 must be dualled, and I will continue to ask difficult questions and demand solutions until the road is dualled.
“I would like to thank members of the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee for their support, and for showing that some issues in Scotland are bigger than politics.
“Dualling can happen but it needs unswerving government determination and a desire to learn lessons and reflect with integrity from the appalling delay in progress since initial commitment in 2011.”
She added: “I encourage people to engage with the committee’s call for views on my Petition – the portal remains open until September 15 and can be found here: Dualling the A9: Petition PE1992 - Scottish Parliament - Citizen Space."
