CAMPAIGNERS have made a last-ditch plea to the Scottish Government to cancel the “flawed” plan for average-speed cameras on the A9 as work started on installing them yesterday.
The £2.5million contract to line sections of the notorious road with the devices was launched ahead of a Holyrood debate on the project.
More than 2,000 motorists have signed a petition demanding a rethink by SNP ministers.
Campaigners have also compiled 1,000 pages of evidence they say makes the case against the cameras and have lodged them with the Scottish Parliament’s public petitions committee.
Mike Burns, who leads the campaign against the cameras, said: “This is a desperate attempt to railroad through A9 average-speed cameras, which do not have public support. We are now in the ludicrous situation of an SNP government ignoring the evidence, commissioning new reports to suit themselves and ignoring parliamentary process on the A9.
“With more revelations to come over the next few days on the substandard reports used by Transport Scotland, the SNP must show proper leadership and cancel this flawed project in order to regain voters’ trust in the Highlands, as opposed to continuing with south-over-north transport policies.”
Traffic was reduced to 30mph near Pitlochry at the start of a rolling programme of lane closures along the route over the next few months.
The £2.5million scheme to instal about 100 cameras along single-carriageway sections of the 138-mile route between Dunblane and Inverness has been fiercely criticised by campaigners, who feel it will increase frustration and lead to riskier overtaking.
There are also fears that it could affect the region’s economy and tourist trade.
But Transport Scotland’s A9 Safety Group claims it will cut the number of deaths and serious injuries from accidents on the route.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “The A9 Safety Group firmly believes that average-speed cameras will save lives on the A9. We have committed to having the system installed by October and we have to start work now to meet that deadline.
“In the meantime, however, our engagement with the public petitions committee will continue, and we will make every effort to explain our compelling evidence base to members.
“We understand that there has been a great deal of discussion about this measure, but we have to trust the evidence from across the world, which demonstrates the effectiveness of cameras on a variety of road types.”
Yesterday, operating company Bear Scotland started digging the foundations for the cameras.
A spokesman said there were no delays at the works and traffic was moving smoothly through the temporary lights that have been put in place.
Infrastructure needed for the average-speed cameras includes power connections, safety barriers, traffic signs and telecommunications equipment and is expected to take about seven months to instal.
Most of the infrastructure work will be carried out between 8am and 5pm. Some will also take place between 7.30pm and 4.30am.
The firm said the project should not cause any significant delays for motorists.
Eddie Ross, operating company representative for Bear Scotland, said: “Works have been carefully planned and we will endeavour to undertake them with as little disruption to road users as possible.
“We would ask for motorists to be patient during this time and their support whilst we undertake these important safety works is appreciated.”