The SNP first committed to dualling the A9 in their 2007 election manifesto. In 2011, they committed to completing the entire project by 2025. It wasn’t until just two years ago, that the SNP finally conceded that the target was unachievable with only 11 miles completed and a revised completion date of 2035. In other words, the current pace of the project isn’t even running at a mile per year, and we still have 77 miles remaining to dual.
By contrast, the Thatcher and Major governments of the 1980s and early 1990s managed to dual more than twice as much what the nationalists have managed - so much for the banal soundbite ‘Stronger for Scotland’.
Meanwhile, economic growth and tourism is hampered, and individuals and businesses located in the north of Scotland are forced to use a road infrastructure network which is totally inadequate for the modern era. But worst of all, this dangerous road continues to take lives and inflict life-changing injuries on victims, devastating families, all while people in Perthshire and the Highlands have to use this lethal road on a daily basis.
Enough is enough. The people of rural Scotland are sick of inaction on our roads. They don’t want reduced speed limits on single carriageways that will only exacerbate frustration and reckless manoeuvres, they want us to upgrade the road as was promised.
That is why the Scottish Conservatives are bringing forward proposals which will provide an urgent solution. We believe the 2035 timetable is too long to wait while people are dying. That is why we will bring forward an emergency law that will finish all remaining single carriageway sections of the A9 in its entirety, by the end of the next Parliamentary session.
The law would fast-track the A9 by establishing a bespoke procurement process which will override any legislative hurdles that are currently holding up the project. The law would expedite Environmental Impact Assessments which can often take over a year to complete. It would establish Infrastructure Investment Partnerships with private companies that would reduce costs in the procurement process and provide businesses with more of a stake in the project to keep on time and on budget. And to ensure there is no further stalling because of questions around funding, we will guarantee a portion of the capital transport budget is set aside for this project alone.
It is little wonder that Fergus Ewing, a well-respected veteran SNP politician, has announced he will be standing as an independent against the nationalists at the next election citing his former Party’s lack of progress on roads such as the A9 and A96 as one of his primary reasons. The SNP has completely failed rural Scotland and we are absolutely determined to complete this project which should have been finished before now.
