Tories call for action after more than 300 injured on A9 in four years

The Scottish Tories have said “enough is enough” as more than 300 injuries in crashes were recorded on A9 in the past four years.

The road has been at the centre of a political storm for years after substantial delays to a project that would see it dualled between Perth and Inverness – a route which includes First Minister John Swinney’s North Perthshire constituency.

In 2011, the Scottish Government pledged to complete the project by this year, but in 2023 it was pushed back by a decade, at a cost of £3.7 billion.

Figures released to the Scottish Tories through a freedom of information request found 28 people were killed between 2021-22 and 2024-25, with 13 in 2022-23 alone.

In total, there were 321 collisions resulting injury during that time, 134 of which were considered to be serious and 159 were minor.

Scottish Tory transport spokeswoman Sue Webber accused the Scottish Government of a “shameful betrayal” of those who rely on the road.

“These shocking figures reveal the appalling casualty toll on the A9,” she said.

“The SNP first promised to upgrade Scotland’s most dangerous road in 2011, yet 14 years later lives are still being lost and motorists and local communities will have to wait at least another decade for upgrades that should have been completed by now.

“The SNP’s shameful betrayal of those who rely on the A9 – including John Swinney’s own constituents – is unforgivable.

“Every day that goes by without this vital road being dualled is putting more lives at risk.”

The Conservatives have suggested passing an emergency law which would speed up the process, including by expediting environmental studies, which they claim could see the road dualled by the end of the next Scottish Parliament.

“Enough is enough. Dualling this road is a matter of life and death,” Ms Webber said.

“That’s why the Scottish Conservatives are stepping up with bold action to get the job done, by proposing an emergency law to fast-track the dualling of the A9 by the end of the next parliament.”

Independent MSP for Inverness and Nairn Fergus Ewing commented on the figures, saying: “Evidence from the Road Safety Foundation has shown that the risk of being in a road accident are three times greater on single carriageways such as the A9 compared with dual carriageways and 10 times greater than on motorways.

“Because the A9 now changes from dual back to single and so on, this further heightens these risks.

“With no central barrier to separate the cars, head on collisions are a far, far greater risk.”

He added: “Every single one of these accidents involves a family, and those where deaths have been caused will be devastated.”

Transport Scotland said environmental assessments are already being carried out ahead of plans to upgrade the A9.

A spokesman said: “Our sympathies are with the families and friends of those who have lost loved ones and those who have been injured on Scotland’s roads.

“One death is one too many, which is why we have increased our road safety budget to a record £48 million to address road casualties across the road network.

“The Scottish Government is committed to fully dualling the A9 and there is now continuous dualling construction taking place on the A9 from now until 2035 with the third section Tomatin to Moy already under construction and the award of the fourth section Tay Crossing to Ballinuig this summer and with the procurement process for the fifth section Pitlochry to Killiecrankie starting this summer, which will mean 50% will be dualled by 2030, 85% by 2033 and completion by 2035.

“We have prioritised funding for A9 Dualling within our annual budgets and we are also actively considering whether there is any way that we can fast-track work, including opportunities for undertaking ‘advance works’ ahead of main construction contracts.

“In the meantime, additional investment has supported junction improvements, improved markings and targeted road safety campaigns to improve A9 safety.”