A north-east MSP has criticised the Scottish Government for attempting to “cover up” its failures with proposed changes to the national speed limit.
Under the new Scotland-wide plan, motorists on major trunk roads such as the A9, A82, A96, and A90 could face a 10mph reduction in speed limits.
The government proposes lowering the limit on single-carriageway roads from 60mph to 50mph.
At the same time, speed limits for goods vehicles over 7.5 tonnes would rise on single-carriageways from 40mph to 50mph, and on dual-carriageways from 50mph to 60mph.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop, has defended the proposals, stating that the changes are designed to “reduce injury collisions while maintaining journey times and enhancing journey time reliability”.
The venture forms part of a £36 million investment in road safety this financial year.
From now until March 5 next year, motorists will have their chance to comment on the government’s plans, which form part of the National Speed Management Review.
‘No thought has been given to how the police would cope’
Scottish Conservative’s north-east MSP Douglas Lumsden has criticised the proposal.
He raised his concerns with The Press and Journal about the implications this could have on Scotland’s stretched police force.
He also feels investment should be prioritised in improving pivotal routes across the region, and described the plan as an attempt to “cover up” the government’s failings.
He said: “This is a ludicrous measure which seeks to demonise motorists in rural areas who rely on using a car.
“Unlike the central belt, the north and north-east don’t have the luxury of motorways connecting locations across the region.
“The SNP government should be prioritising the upgrade of our single carriageway roads, like the A96 and A90 north of Ellon, instead of implementing ridiculous schemes like this to cover up for their failings.
“No thought has been given on how the police would cope trying to monitor this, at a time when officer numbers are being cut and the force is at breaking point.
“The Scottish Government’s lack of necessary investment in our roads is endangering lives, hampering our emergency services and threatening our economy.”
‘One death on our roads is one too many’
In a statement, Secretary Hyslop said: “Road safety is a priority for the Scottish Government and we remain absolutely committed to working towards our ambitious goal of making Scotland’s roads the safest in the world by 2030.
“We must never lose sight of the fact that one death on our roads is one too many. These proposed changes represent a vital step towards achieving national casualty reduction targets, and I urge everyone to take part in the consultation and help shape the future of road safety in Scotland.”
She added: “We want to hear from the public and stakeholders on these proposals. The consultation is available online and a series of engagement sessions will be held early in 2025 to ensure a wide range of voices are heard.”
Addressing Mr Lumsdens concerns surrounding the impact on policing, a Scottish Government spokesperson added: “We have invested record police funding of £1.55billion this year – an increase of £92.7million, which means Police Scotland will take on more recruits this year than at any time since 2013.
“The Chief Constable said on October 30 that she expected officer numbers to reach 16,600 officers this month. Scotland continues to have more police officers per capita than England and Wales.
“Recruitment and deployment are operational matters for the Chief Constable.”
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