The economic vitality of the Highlands and islands is under threat from controversial plans to line a major road north with average-speed cameras, business organisations claimed yesterday.
North branches of the Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI) and the Federation of Small Businesses (FSB) have written to Transport Minister Keith Brown about their concerns that the £2.5million scheme will damage the economy of the region.
They fear that the Scottish Government’s plans to instal 100 cameras on the A9, between Inverness and Dunblane, will lengthen journey times and make the area less attractive for investors and visitors.
The cameras are expected to be up and running by October in an attempt to cut the death toll on the road.
SCDI Highlands and islands director Fraser Grieve said: “We understand the desire to see action taken to reduce the number of serious or fatal accidents on this road.
“Whilst average speed cameras may be part of the solution on some limited sections of the road, we believe that proposals for their wider roll-out will have a damaging impact on the economic health of the region.”
He added: “With key growth sectors such as energy and food and drink continuing to flourish, and signs that business optimism is returning across the north, we need to show that we are open for business and not reducing the attractiveness of the region for those wishing to work or visit here.”
FSB Highlands and Islands chairwoman Amanda Frazer said: “Our members continue to voice concerns over proposals to introduce average speed cameras along this vital transport artery on which their livelihoods depend.
“Businesses worry that the proposed cameras will impact on their economic competitiveness by increasing journey times and reinforce the image of the road as slow and dangerous.
“We welcome the various measures being undertaken to enhance the safety of the A9, and especially the increase in the HGV speed limit from 40 to 50mph.
“However, we worry that, rather than allaying the fears of potential motorists about the safety of the A9, the average speed cameras will in fact underline them, thereby discouraging more visitors from travelling north.”
Both organisations stressed that they were fully supportive of the Scottish Government’s plans to dual to road, which it has pledged to do by 2025.
Highland MP Danny Alexander said the organisations were right to raise concerns. He criticised what he said was lack of progress from the SNP on dualling.
“Safety is paramount, but we’ve not seen any evidence that average speed cameras will make the road any safer.
“The extra queuing and longer journey times will, however, increase the price of haulage and damage our local economy.”