A Glasgow MSP known for irritating his own SNP leadership has demanded cash is moved from the A9 dualling scheme to housing.
The SNP’s John Mason said the housing budget is much more important than improving the Perth-Inverness road.
The A9 dualling project is a central commitment for First Minister John Swinney, long overdue since Alex Salmond stated his ambition 16 years ago.
In Holyrood today, Mr Mason sprung his budget request on SNP housing minister Paul McLennan during a debate.
‘More important’
“Given the limited amount of capital budget and given we’re having a housing emergency, will the minister and his colleagues consider moving money from the roads budget – and especially the A9 – to housing, because it seems to me that housing is much more important than improving that road,” he said to some astonished responses in the debating chamber.
“That’s an interesting comment,” the minister replied, without rejecting the plea out of hand.
“For me that would have to be a discussion for the cabinet.”
On Monday, the P&J reported that Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie wants a rethink on spending priorities before budget priorities are set by the minority SNP government in December.
He wants the remaining single carriageway stretches of the A9 to the put to the same climate compatibility test that’s delaying work on the A96 project between Aberdeen and Inverness.
Mr Swinney has to make deals with Greens or another party to pass his spending plans in December.
The promise to the dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth is an expensive promise the SNP insist will go ahead by 2035.
The government confirmed there will not be any further climate assessment to hold up progress on the A9.
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