A9 Road Safety Campaigner and MSP for Mid-Scotland and Fife Murdo Fraser has quizzed the Minister for Transport and Veterans Keith Brown on whether any progress has been made on increasing speed limits for HGV’s on the A9.
Murdo Fraser has previously written to the Scottish Government in July forwarding the case for increased HGV speed limits as a means to avoiding A9 collisions caused by driver frustration.
Inverness based haulier Conor McKenna has launched a campaign to increase HGV speed limits on single carriageway roads from 40 to 50 mph.
Exchange in the Chamber:
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Government what recent discussions it has had with the A9 safety group on speed limits for HGVs on the A9. (S4O-01655)
The Minister for Transport and Veterans (Keith Brown): The A9 safety group, which is chaired by Transport Scotland, last met on 4 October 2012 and discussed a number of issues, including speed limits for heavy goods vehicles on single carriageway sections of the A9 trunk road.
Murdo Fraser: The minister will know that, on single carriageway sections of the A9, slow-moving HGVs are an issue. Long lines of vehicles build up behind them, leading to driver frustration. In some cases, the issue is the cause of accidents.
Will the minister look seriously at increasing the speed limits for HGVs on the A9, which could help to remove driver frustration and improve the accident rate on one of Scotland’s deadliest roads?
Keith Brown: I am looking seriously at the issue. Murdo Fraser has raised in the past, and raises again today, the issue of safety, which must be the primary consideration when looking at this proposal, which has come from not just Mr Fraser, but a number of members. Fergus Ewing, Dave Thompson, Dave Stewart and Ian Gray have expressed interest in the issue, as have the Road Haulage Association and hauliers.
The only predictive evidence that we have so far suggests that the measure might have a marginal disbenefit in safety terms. However, that is the case if the measure is carried out on its own; there may be things that could be done to ameliorate that effect. We will continue to look at that in the research and, at the same time, we will continue our dialogue with the RHA and hauliers.
Speaking outside the Chamber Murdo Fraser MSP said:
“I welcome the Minister’s assurance that this move is being seriously considered and that further research is being done.
“I believe that there could be clear road safety benefits from an increase in HGV speed limits on the A9.”