Murdo has slammed the SNP Government saying it “will be years” before dualling of the A9 near Dunkeld is completed.
He said local residents and road safety campaigners will be “deeply disappointed” at the “poor response” given recently by Michael Matheson, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, to his question on when the final design for the dualling of the Perth to Inverness road between the Pass of Birnam and the Tay Crossing will be published.
Murdo asked the question during a Portfolio session at Holyrood. In his response, Mr Matheson said he hoped to have more information regarding dualling of this stretch in the “coming months.”
Commenting, Murdo Fraser MSP said: “It is clear that it will be years before dualling will take place between the Pass of Birnam and the Tay Crossing section of the A9, following details of what we heard today from the SNP Government. We had hoped to get an announcement of a final design for the dualling of this stretch, but the Cabinet Secretary said this will be some months away due to the ‘preferred route’ options being looked at.
“Beyond that, it is obvious that actual construction on this part of the A9 will be years away. Local residents and road safety campaigners will be deeply concerned at this issue not being resolved, having already waited eight years to get confirmation of dualling on the Pass of Birnam and the Tay Crossing stretch of the A9.
“We have seen too many people die on the A9 Perth to Inverness, with 12 people sadly losing their lives on the road last year – all on single-carriageway stretches of the road. Every one of these deaths is a massive loss to the families and friends involved.”
Murdo continued: “The poor response we got from the SNP Government is not good enough.”
