Murdo Fraser MSP says people are “tired of SNP soundbites” on the dualling of the A9 Perth to Inverness road, stating that they want certainty.
The Scottish Conservative politician was reacting to an answer to a Written Question he had lodged at the Scottish Parliament, in which he asked what the estimated start date is for the dualling of the Birnam and Jubilee Bridge stretch of the A9 Perth to Inverness road.
In his reply, Michael Matheson MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport, didn’t provide details of when this will be, instead stating that ‘work to assess four route options, including the community’s preferred route option, is ongoing.’ He added that a ‘preferred route’ is expected to be announced later this year.
Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, and who previously campaigned to have the A9 Perth to Inverness road dualled, said: “I asked for information on when work will be starting on the dualling of the Birnam to Jubilee Bridge stretch of the A9 programme but once again all we get from the SNP Government is soundbites and obfuscation.
“Local residents who live adjacent to the busy A9 and road safety campaigners want to hear actual details of when the dualling of the Birnam to Jubilee Bridge stretch will begin and also, they want to hear confirmation that the actual project will be completed. Instead Mr Matheson says a preferred route is expected to be announced at the end of this year – no date, no timetable.”
Mr Fraser continued: “This stalling has been going on for years from the SNP Government and it is not good enough. People want certainty, not uncertainty – they are tired of SNP soundbites.
“Not providing an actual answer on when work will start on the dualling of the Birnam to Jubilee Bridge part of the project is bad enough, but the SNP can’t even confirm if the whole project will actually be completed. The A9 Perth to Inverness road has unfortunately claimed many lives over the years and road safety campaigners have battled to get it dualled.
“The £3 billion dualling of the Perth to Inverness road was originally said to be completed by 2025, which obviously isn’t going to happen now. It is a project that is close to many people’s hearts and needs to be carried out in full and we need confirmation of that.”
