A9 inquiry finds secrecy and indecision doomed the dualling as campaigner Laura Hansler slams the ‘complete disregard for our lives’
The A9 inquiry has found that a succession of failings mounted over the dualling programme due to Scottish Government secrecy and indecision that ultimately led to the broken promise of not meeting the 2025 deadline.
The public petitions committee inquiry into the A9 dualling programme delivered a damning verdict that the failure to completely the dual road from Inverness to Perth created not just “distrust” but also a “sense among people living in northern Scotland” that they have not received their fair share of investment.
The report stated that the committee remains concerned about whether funding will be available when it needs to be in order to meet the revised 2035 deadline - which was set in December last year. The SNP first made its promise in 2007, which became a manifesto vow since 2011.
‘They basically knew that they were not going to make 2025’
The report is one of the outcomes of a petition by Kincraig campaigner Laura Hansler, who also pinpointed trust and openness as being at the heart of the A9 dualling problem.
She said: “In 2019, they basically knew that they were not going to make 2025 and that was way before the lame excuses we got from [then transport minister] Jenny Gilruth [in February 2023 when the government admitted the 2025 deadline was ‘unachievable’] was about Covid and the Ukraine war.
“So they have actively chosen not to share that information with the public, they have actively chosen not share that information with other MSPs as well.”
The inquiry itself found it was “unconvinced” by former transport secretary Mairi McAllan who claimed the government would pay for the dualling should the private finance option fall through.
The issue of trust comes up numerous times in the inquiry report where it is stated: “It is regrettable that the Scottish Government did not feel it necessary to inform the public about the challenges in keeping to the original delivery timetable.”
It was a point supported by former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, who was in charge at the time, who said: “I would ask myself whether we were as candid as we should have been with ourselves, as well as with the public.”
‘Lack of transparency’ internally and externally affected the public ‘limited parliamentary scrutiny’
And in what is perhaps the most politically critical section, the inquiry stated that "lack of transparency" about internal and external communications affected not just the public but also "limited parliamentary scrutiny".
In essence, that lack of information crippled the Scottish Parliament’s ability to function as it should by overseeing and challenging the government on a multibillion-pound infrastructure project.
Transport Scotland came in for criticism for significant failings that contributed to the delays – chiefly through its funding formula that saw the agency criticised as the “worst” to work for in the UK and real lack of lack of oversight and leadership.
The former director for major projects “not only ran the A9 dualling programme” but the “Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route, the Queensferry Crossing, and upgrades to the M8, M73 and M74 motorways”.
All those projects were brought to a "successful completion, and on time and under budget" except the A9 leaving the committee “unclear” where the A9 dualling sat within Transport Scotland’s priorities or if it was victim to those other initiatives.
The committee “considered whether this has contributed to a sense among people living in northern Scotland that they have not received a commensurate share of capital expenditure to improve the road network across the Highlands.”
‘It goes beyond disrespect… it was just a complete disregard for our lives and our safety’
That is certainly the feelings of Ms Hansler, who said: “I find it really frustrating. Why was that money going south, why was A9 money not ring-fenced?
“To get to 2023 when only 11 miles have been done and the best part of 70-odd miles to do and the government still does not know how to fund that project and they are still not going to tell the public. It is absolutely infuriating.
“It goes beyond disrespect, there was complete and utter disregard and disinterest in the Highlands – it was just a complete disregard for our lives and our safety.”
The Scottish Government must ‘accept with some humility and grace that they have got it badly wrong’
Petitions committee member and staunch critic of the Scottish Government over the A9 dualling Fergus Ewing said that it is now time for action by those in Bute House.
“This report makes very serious criticisms of the Scottish Government,” said the Inverness and Nairn MSP. “They failed to work out how to fund the project, and failed to drive it forward, notably from 2016 onwards.
“But it also makes positive recommendations including a Standing Committee be formed to oversee this project.
“I urge the Scottish Government to do several things immediately in response to this report. First acknowledge that the criticisms are fair on funding, on Transport Scotland’s failures and on lack of leadership and a total lack of candour and honesty.
“Second, to accelerate the dualling programme. They failed utterly to consult anyone on the new target they set of 2035 even though they broke the promise to deliver by 2025 – next year. The work can be done more quickly and the private funding is available as is more UK funding.
“Third to agree the proposed parliamentary committee be set up forthwith
“Finally. to confirm that they will not kow-tow to the Greens and they will use some of the extra capital funding of £610 million, from Wednesday’s UK budget to accelerate the A9 programme.
“The Scottish Government are, regarding the broken promises on the A9 dualling, on a road to recover trust and confidence of people in the north, which is as long as the A9 itself. It must now show that they care, they are determined to invest in the Highlands, they are committed to tackling the tragic death toll on the road and that they accept with some humility and grace that they have got it badly wrong as the committee report lays bare – and they and they alone must put it right.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “Transport Scotland welcomes the final report received from the Committee and will take the appropriate time to consider and respond to the recommendations set out in the report.”
