Three things Sutherland MP Jamie Stone wants Scottish Government to commit to over A9 dualling

Sutherland MP Jamie Stone has set out three demands of the Scottish Government over A9 dualling after the admission this week that an ambitious target will not be met.

Jamie Stone, the MP for Caithness, Sutherland and Easter Ross, made his remarks as the Highland Liberal Democrats launched a petition over the issue.

It followed a statement by Transport Secretary Jenny Gilruth that A9 dualling would not be completed by a previously promised 2025 timeline.

She said a variety of factors – amongst them Brexit disruption, war in Ukraine and inflation – combined to make the target unachievable. It provoked a massive backlash and claims in the north of 'glaringly obvious bias' over investment.

Flagging the petition, Mr Stone said: "We need a proper plan for the A9. I am calling on the Scottish Government to:

• Urgently announce their revised timetable for the completion of A9 dualling.

• Provide adequate funding to make sure they don't miss yet another deadline on the A9.

• Announce a proper plan for the upgrading of the A9 north of Inverness which has so far been neglected.

The petition says it was "inevitable" that the deadline would be missed, adding: "They have had 15 years in government to get this done, and progress has been painfully slow.

"The road continues to be unfit for purpose, crashes and deaths continue to mount, and the whole of the Highlands suffers from the SNP's decade and a half of inaction."

The petition states: "I support the campaign to get proper funding to dual the A9 from Perth to Inverness, and to get a proper plan to upgrade the A9 from Thurso to Inverness."

It has met with a mixed reception on social media after it was posted by the MP.

Stewart Winton observed: "I think folks up here are definitely more concerned about the atrocious state of the local roads and the sub-standard work that gets carried out repeatedly."

Stephen Lennon stated: "Various governments have been promising to complete this for over 25 years."

Finlay Campbell is not hopeful: "Good luck with that. We do not exist north of Inverness!!"

Janette McCutcheon sees even more trouble ahead without action: "The whole road from Perth upwards and past Inverness is so dangerous. The amount of near misses I’ve seen is unbelievable. It’s going to get worse when the Freeport starts."

Others have said the timescale was always unrealistic given the amount of time small sections have taken to date.

What do you think? Leave a comment or email newsdesk@hnmedia.co.uk

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.