So, what do drivers think would do most to improve safety on the A9?
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A SURVEY of driver attitudes on the A9 between Perth and Inverness has highlighted that a large percentage of motorists acknowledge they break the speed limit whilst driving on the route.
Over half of those interviewed for a survey carried out by the A9 Safety Group admitted speeding.
A fifth indicated that they had travelled at 15 miles an hour or more above the speed limit and more than a third had driven at 10 miles or more above the limit either “occasionally” or “frequently”.
When asked if they had any other comments on measures they felt would improve safety on the A9, dualling the road, increasing police enforcement, using average speed cameras and raising the HGV speed limit were the four most common responses.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said the survey was an important part of his team’s work to improve safety on the A9 ahead of dualling.
He added: “It indicates that we are heading in the right direction with our plans which focus on engineering, and enforcement. We have committed to dualling the A9 by 2025 and the meantime we will continue to work with partners such as Police Scotland and the Safety Camera partnerships to make a positive difference for A9 road users. The A9 Safety Group is clear that average speed cameras are effective in saving lives and this is backed up by the facts.”
Leaders of a campaign battling to block the A9 average-speed cameras scheme will meet in Inverness on Friday.
MP Danny Alexander’s Highland Infrastructure Forum, which includes representatives of Highlands and Islands Airports Ltd, the Scottish Council for Development and Industry, the Federation for Small Businesses, and the Scottish Tourism Alliance, will take place at the Palace Hotel.
Foyers-based Facebook campaigner Mike Burns, head of the “A9 Average Speed Cameras Are Not The Answer” group, is also expected to attend the event, which starts at 11am.
Mr Burns fears the project will cost the Highlands 20,000 working hours every day and believes that employers will opt to relocate staff further south due to the increased delays.
