Figures obtained by the Scottish Conservatives has shown that the A85 has been closed to traffic on 46 occasions between 2010 and 2012. Police Scotland is to deploy from next Spring new road collision investigation equipment. It is hoped that the 3D scanners which can record up to 120,000 different details of a crash scene per second- which have been trialled successfully in England- will significantly reduce the length of time roads are closed for accident investigations. Liz Smith, Scottish Conservative MSP for Mid Scotland & Fife said: “Constituents understand that serious road accidents will on occasion cause the closure of trunk roads due to the need for the police to conduct scene of crime investigations. “However, many constituents have expressed concern to me that the occurrence and duration of these closures has increased significantly in recent years and they are questioning why the roads cannot be reopened more quickly as they appear to have been in the past. As a result of these closures, some drivers have been forced to make lengthy and time consuming detours and I have also been told of constituents and tourists missing ferry connections in Oban as a result. “While not wishing to underestimate the tragedy to families of fatalities on our roads, it seems that litigation is perhaps being used to far too great an extent as an excuse for closing roads. We are not talking of diversions of a few miles but in some cases many miles and this should be taken into consideration. “I would hope that these figures encourage the Scottish Government and Police Scotland to look again at how they deal with the aftermath of accidents on these key roads. They should also spur the Scottish Government to look again at redoubling its efforts to improve road safety on these routes.”