A96 and Buchan rail plea as SNP prepare to wield axe in spending cuts

The SNP must not let road and rail improvements in the north-east fall victim to tough spending cuts today, according to a plea for John Swinney to invest in the region.

Community and business groups have long pushed for the dualling of the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness – as promised by the government in 2011.

And there are aspirations from rail campaigners to open up new rail links from Aberdeen to Peterhead and Fraserburgh.

But today, Finance Secretary Shona Robison will set out an expected £600 million package of spending cuts to balance the budget.

It has prompted concern around knock-on effects for transport projects funding.

‘Lack of ambition’

After Tuesday’s update, First Minister John Swinney will set out his programme for government on Wednesday.

He is being told by Aberdeen business leaders the region faces an “existential threat from poor policymaking”.

On transport infrastructure, chamber of commerce chief Russell Borthwick said he’s “concerned by the lack of ambition”.

Green party transport spokesman Mark Ruskell sparked further concern in comments to The Herald last week. He claimed the SNP and Greens had agreed the “case needed to be built up for retreating back from a full dualling”.

Speaking to the P&J at SNP conference in Edinburgh on Friday, Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes would not confirm the full plan before publication of a decision on a long-overdue climate review.

However, the Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch MSP said the A96 is crucial to connect the renewables industry in the Highlands with the energy capital, Aberdeen.

“Really after 40 years of oil revenues, some might argue that road should be paved in gold,” she said.

Buchan rail links

Meanwhile, the Campaign for North East Rail secured £250,000 from the government’s Just Transition Fund to look at reconnecting Fraserburgh and Peterhead to the network.

A report on the study found connecting Aberdeen with the two Buchan towns can deliver a north-east economic boom and reduce fatal road accidents.

“While we appreciate the acute challenges facing Scotland’s public finances, by investing in key infrastructure today now we can realise enormous economic benefits over many years to come”, Mr Borthwick said in a letter to the goverment.

Speaking ahead of her statement on the government’s finances, Finance Secretary Shona Robison blamed the Labour government at Westminster for “entering a whole new era of austerity”.

She added: “The cuts they are proposing to make will have a profound effect on our ability to deliver for the people of Scotland – but the SNP government will do everything we can to protect people and public services from the cuts that Westminster is making to our budget.”

A Transport Scotland spokesman said the “current plan is to fully dual the route” but that an evidence-based review of the programme is being undertaken.

He added: “The evidence-led transport appraisal that supports the A96 Review, along with the feedback from stakeholders, will assist in planning how transport improvements along the corridor are prioritised, and the review’s outcomes will inform our timescales going forward.”