A SENIOR UK Government minister was at the centre of a bitter political row last night after pledging to continue the fight against the plan for average-speed cameras on the A9.
Highland MP Danny Alexander was accused of “scrabbling around” for issues to boost his general election campaign next year after claiming that the battle to block the controversial scheme was not over.
He spoke out as one of Britain’s best-known motoring commentators warned that the “safety” project could actually increase the number of accidents on the trunk road between Inverness and Perth.
The row erupted a week after the battle to head off proposals to instal 100 average-speed cameras on a 138-mile stretch of the A9 appeared in tatters when MSPs said there was nothing they could do to halt the scheme.
Liberal Democrat Mr Alexander said yesterday: “We have to keep campaigning because I don’t think these speed cameras will have the safety benefits, and they’ll make things worse on the A9.
“It is one of the many things that the Scottish Government is doing in the Highlands which people don’t want.
“There is a real question whether the Scottish Government really knows or cares what is in the best interests of the Highlands.”
Work is already under way on the £2.5million camera scheme, which government road agency Transport Scotland insists will make the A9 safer.
Officials also say journey times between Dunblane and the Highland capital would be increased by only 14 minutes.
But TV presenter Vicki Butler-Henderson said ministers should instead invest the money on courses to educate people to be better drivers.
The star of the Fifth Gear show is no stranger to driving on the A9.
She said last night: “The trouble with every type of speed camera is that drivers start looking out for them, rather than focusing on the real dangers such as oncoming or overtaking traffic, hazardous junctions or bad road conditions.
“The money used on these average-speed cameras would be better spent on local driving courses where people can improve their skills, from observation to skid control.”
The Scottish Government launched a safety campaign on the route earlier this year, when Transport Minister Keith Brown said: “We are focusing on the three strands of engineering, education and enforcement.”
Holyrood’s public petitions committee is examining a petition lodged by Foyers man Mike Burns calling for the camera plan to be scrapped. But members have already admitted there is nothing they can do to block the scheme.
Mr Burns said last night that he welcomed Mr Alexander’s intervention.
“It is good to know that senior politicians are taking this more seriously than the government in Edinburgh, which is choosing to ignore campaigners,” he said.
Dave Thompson, SNP MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, said the Scottish Government “fully understood” the needs of local people and was the first administration to commit to dualling the full length of the A9 between Inverness and Perth by 2025.
“Danny Alexander is wrong in his assertions about average-speed cameras and is desperately scrabbling around for issues to support his re-election next year,” he said.
“He is picking on one or two issues he thinks will give him traction and his position on the A9 is purely political posturing.”
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