Highland councillors being urged to 'deplore' decision to delay A9 dualling

Highland councillors are being advised of a motion that 'deplores' the decision to delay the dualling of the A9 and to push for a new timetable for completion of the work.

The notice of motion to go before the full meeting of Highland Council in Inverness tomorrow has been brought by Badenoch and Strathspey members Bill Lobban (Independent) and Russell Jones (Independent).

It comes after an unprecedented number of fatalities on the road in a four-month spell starting last early summer with 11 people losing their lives on the 35-mile section of the road in the strath alone.

The local councillors' motion states: "The horrendous spate of accidents and resultant fatalities on the single carriageway sections of the A9 has brought misery to families from across the country and beyond our council area.

"Additionally the failure to upgrade this vital transport link has a huge, negative, economic impact to the economy of the whole Highlands.

"As a result this council deplores the decision of the Scottish Government to delay the dualling of the A9 between Inverness and Perth and asks that the Transport Minister immediately publishes a revised timetable for the completion of the works."

A second notice of motion going before the same meeting has been signed by a group of Scottish Lib Dem Highland councillors and backs support for a parliamentary enquiry into the 'mishandling' of the A9 dualling programme.

The motion reads: "Council agrees with SNP MSP Fergus Ewing that the Scottish Government's failure to dual the A9 by 2025 amounts to 'a betrayal of the Highlands' and supports his call for a parliamentary enquiry into the mishandling of the A9 improvement programme by the SNP/Green government."

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