Mid-Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has expressed outrage at an amendment from the Green Party that calls for the diverting of funds from the A9 Dualling project into rail improvements that were already promised in a separate SNP pledge.
The amendment has been supported by Highlands’ MSP’s John Finnie and Jean Urquhart, both formerly SNP members.
The 2007 SNP manifesto promised that journey times on the Highland main line would be reduced in addition to a separate promise to fully dual the A9.
The amendment is enclosed below
As an amendment to motion S4M-06766 in the name of Keith Brown (Transforming Scotland's Railways), leave out from first “acknowledges” to end and insert “recognises the constraints under which the ScotRail franchise must operate as a result of UK legislation, but considers that the Scottish Government could ensure greater transparency in its franchise decisions; believes that, when Scotland is able to remove the constraints of UK legislation, renationalisation of the railways or the use of a non-profit franchise holder would deliver better value for the public investment in Scotland’s railways; condemns the UK Government’s plans to reprivatise the profitable East Coast line, a decision that it understands was announced without reference to the Scottish Government; expresses concern that the Scottish Government’s road-building priorities risk making rail uncompetitive on price and journey times for routes north of the central belt, and believes that the public money currently committed to upgrading the A9 would be better spent on rail infrastructure, including the comparatively modest upgrades required to improve the Highland main line.”
Supported by: John Finnie, Margo MacDonald, Alison Johnstone, Jean Urquhart
Commenting Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“I cannot believe the short-sightedness exhibited here by both the Green Party and former members of the SNP.
“Over 20,000 people have signed my online petition calling for a fully dualled A9 yet here we have Members of the Scottish Parliament asking for the diverting of funds from this project and into rail improvements. Improvements to the Highland main line were promised in a separate SNP manifesto pledge, the Scottish Government have promised to deliver both projects and must do so.
“The A9 is Scotland’s deadliest road and has claimed too many innocent lives whilst at the same time denting the economic progress of the Highlands. Dualling this road and dualling it fast has to be a top priority for the Scottish Government.
“The people of the Highlands have been let down time and time again on this project and therefore we cannot have funds diverted from it.”