Roads work welcome 'but more is needed'
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RECENT investment in roads is a step forward but news that the Highlands has one of the highest motoring death rates in the UK means more still needs to be done, local figures believe.
New figures revealed by the Department of Transport show that the Highland Council area is the eighth most dangerous region for motorists in the UK.
The department has created a map showing the UK’s most dangerous areas using the results of a study carried out between 2012 and 2016.
It shows there were more than three fatal collisions per 10,000 residents in the area, and Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP Kate Forbes says more action has to be taken to further reduce the number of casualties.
"Every fatality is one too many, wherever it is," she said.
"Clearly there are issues which have long been recognised on particular roads in the Highlands.
"Action on the A9 has seen a significant fall in fatalities, with the introduction of the average speed cameras and the long overdue dualling.
"There has been a decline in accidents on the A9 between Perth and Inverness, and hopefully once the dualling is complete these figures will decrease even further.
"There are lessons too for drivers, particularly during the busy summer period, not to let frustration build up and never to justify speeding.
"It’s a lesson to all of us to take care on the roads."
The figures also showed that Scotland is disporportionately more dangerous for road users than the rest of the UK.
Seven of the ten deadliest areas are north of the border, with Orkney, Argyll and Bute, Aberdeenshire and Perth and Kinross all ranked above the Highlands, while Dumfries and Galloway and the Borders complete the top 10.
However, Scotland also has the safest area of the UK, with no fatalities in Clackmannanshire over the course of the study. Local business figures have warned that caution should be taken when analysing the figures.
David Richardson, Highlands and Islands development manager for the Federation of Small Businesses, believes the area’s vast size and sparse population must be taken into account.
"Before discussing the Highlands position in the rather grisly league table one must first ask whether deaths per 10,000 people is a fair measurement," he said.
"The Highlands’ enormous size, tiny and highly dispersed population, and relatively poor public transport provision means that people here are more dependent on cars than in many other parts of the UK.
"If comparisons are being made then deaths per mile of road should perhaps be given too.
"Moreover, for much of the year the local population is massively boosted by visitors. I understand that visitors are included in the road death figures but not in the population figures, and presumably this significantly skews the results.
"Whatever the case, all deaths and injuries on roads are tragedies and it is of the utmost importance that our road network is fit for purpose for all: locals, business users, and visitors alike.
"FSB has called for increased investment for many years now, and while Highland Council’s recent announcement that it is allocating an additional £1.5 million to road upgrades is extremely welcome, one has to ask if it is enough."
