Murdo Fraser MSP says that new speeding figures for the A9 Perth to Inverness road emphasise the importance of the need to complete dualling of the notorious road.
Data supplied to the Scottish Conservatives through Freedom of Information show that almost 15,000 vehicles were caught speeding on the road between May 31, 2021, and May 30, 2024. The figures released by Police Scotland also show that the highest speed recorded on the road during this period was 126mph near the junction with The Whinnies.
Police Scotland issued a Tweet at the time of the incident, saying: ‘It is not a race track and it’s not just you to think about. Slow down.”
Extra patrols took place at this time on the A9 as part of Operation Cedar, which was based on the principle of ‘challenge, educate, detect and reduce’ when it comes to dangerous driving.
Commenting, Mr Fraser, who is a long-term campaigner for the full dualling of the A9 Perth to Inverness road, said: “These latest figures on speeding on the A9 from Perth to Inverness are utterly shocking and come in the wake of other data obtained by BBC Scotland which revealed that offending motorists are driving faster every year, with the staggering speed of 140mph being reached on the A9 (on data up to June 30 this year.)
“The latest data supplied to the Scottish Conservatives shows that a total of 14,853 vehicles were caught speeding by the police on the A9 from Perth to Inverness in three years, which is very concerning. We also had data supplied from the police which showed that there were 181 mobile phone offences by motorists on the road between May 31, 2021, and May 30, 2024, which is also a deep cause of concern for me.”
Mr Fraser continued: “People that regularly drive along the A9 from Perth to Inverness will probably have witnessed some motorists speeding. Sometimes this may be caused by frustration when some people cannot overtake due to single stretch stretches of the road, but nevertheless, there is no excuse for speeding and certainly not in the numbers we now see from Police Scotland.
“I asked the First Minister what progress is being made on the dualling project shortly before the Summer Recess at the Scottish Parliament, following a reported number of serious and fatal accidents on the road. Despite the continual rhetoric from the SNP Government that they will complete dualling of the A9, the very slow progress on achieving this seems very far off, and you doubt if it will actually take place.
“I am sure most residents in Perthshire and the Highlands will agree with me in saying that instead of continuing the tired, outdated message of seeking independence during the General Election, the SNP Government should have focused on how they will complete dualling of the most dangerous road in Scotland.”
