Conflicting remarks spark confusion over dualling of A9 Inverness-Perth road and A96 Inverness-Aberdeen road
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
A NORTH politician has called for the Scottish Government to make it clear what is happening to the £5 billion dualling of the A9 and A96 roads.
Scottish Green Party MSP John Finnie asked Transport Scotland’s director of roads Hugh Gillies during a parliamentary connectivity committee on Wednesday: “For the avoidance of doubt, is there a review of whether we are going to continue with the dualling of the A9 and A96?”
Mr Gillies replied: “What I will say is that all of this is up for debate as part of the Strategic Transport Projects Review.”
But Transport Scotland later issued a statement saying it remained committed to dualling both the Inverness to Perth road and the Inverness to Aberdeen route.
Mr Finnie said yesterday: “The Scottish Government first declared a climate emergency and we asked if everything was up for review and the First Minister said ‘Yes.’ But then her deputy John Swinney said this did not include the A9 and A96 dualling.
“During a committee meeting in parliament on Wednesday we asked what were the implications of the climate emergency on maintaining the road building programme.
“The government needs to make up its minds as it seems invidious to say there is a climate emergency, but not take action.”
Some Greens have called for cash to be diverted from the roads to a Highland Mainline rail upgrade to reduce carbon emissions.
The Strategic Transport Projects Review, which is being done at the same time as a review of the National Transport Strategy, will set out future major investment priorities for Scotland.
Work dualling the A9 between Inverness and Perth is due to be completed in 2025 and the A96 from Inverness to Aberdeen by 2030. A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “When complete these... will bring many benefits.”
