The transport secretary said she was well aware that a package £5 million of safety measures on the A9 Inverness to Perth road alone are “not enough”.
Speaking after an A9 Crisis Summit held in Inverness, Mairi McAllan said it was not until a comprehensive package of measures were delivered that it would “hopefully be enough” to reduce accidents and fatalities on the road.
But many who attended the event in Eden Court, organised by The Inverness Courier. were disappointed the timescale for major roadworks to dual the road were not yet in the pipeline.
The meeting heard that a package of £5 million of safety measures on the A9 began to be delivered last year. The meeting heard one section of safety measures has already completed.
But to those at the meeting, there were concerns that they had not seen very much change or improvement on the road.
After the meeting the secretary for net zero and just transition said she thought the often-heated summit was “as expected”.
She said: “I have been under no apprehension about the frustration, [the] bemusement slightly about the progress of things.
A9 safety measures are ‘not enough’
“I was not surprised [at the strength of feeling] but it was really helpful for me to hear first hand the concerns, but also the ideas.
“What can be more valuable than hearing from the people that drive the road every day?”
Asked if measures delivered in a £5 million safety package announced in December, were enough, she said: “They are not enough. They are not supposed to be enough.
“I was trying very hard to be clear about that in the meeting. That is, that a package of works alongside the dualling programme, alongside average speed cameras will be delivered.
“So that the totality of the work will hopefully be enough.
“The dualling programme is the key primary way that we improve safety, because those head-on collisions are the ones that most often result in fatalities.”
While many felt that they came to the A9 Crisis Summit looking for clear timescales, they went home disappointed.
Road safety campaigner Laura Hansler, who started the A9 Dual Action Group, said: “I will give Mairi McAllan her due, she apologise. She’s the first minister to ever apologise to these communities for the accidents and fatalities that have been happening.
“The second most important thing is that the fact this road has been admitted as not fit for purpose. They have to do something.”
‘Won’t be done in my lifetime’
She continued: “I want action. My biggest fear is it won’t even be done in my lifetime. The estimated timetable we gave in parliament working on construction figures was 2050.
“That’s a realistic figure because they’re not dualling consecutively or sequentially so it does bring you to 2050.
The last nine sections they have to break down into smaller chunks, make it achievable and get on with the job.”
Highland Council convenor Bill Lobban said there were “no answers” delivered at the meeting.
He said: “The transport minister is due respect for coming to Inverness and into the lion’s den, but that there was nothing concrete from the cabinet secretary.
“I have not seen anything other than an illuminated road sign telling me not to drive when I am am tired,” he continued.
“The cost of this road is not in the millions of pounds spent on it, but in the numbers of people taken away in body bags.”
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “Stakeholder engagement is at the heart of this delivery process, and we also engage with a wide range of communities and road users throughout the duration of a project.
“The current consultation is in relation to contractual and commercial issues. We have been in urgent dialogue with the construction sector to identify the best procurement option to deliver the remaining schemes.
“This is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors and is expected to conclude in Autumn 2023, when Parliament will be updated on a new timescale for completion.
“We will continue to ensure all our stakeholders, including council officials and elected representatives, receive clear, timely updates.”