1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47
48
49
50
51
52
53
54
55
56
57
58
59
60
61
62
63
64
65
66
67
68
69
70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100
101
102
103
104
105
106
107
108
109
110
111
112
113
114
115
116
117
118
119
120
121
122
123
124
125
126
127
128
129
130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149
150
151
152 
No dualling for confusing A9
Page 12
If you've noticed an error in this article please click here to report it so we can fix it.
m The Scottish parliament has rejected calls to upgrade the A9 from Perth to Inverness to dual carriageway (0128 Nov-4 Dec).
In a debate on the issue last week, Deputy Transport Minister Lewis Macdonald said: "The best estimate now suggests that the cost would be somewhere between £450m and £500m... which Is quite a significant sum."
Macdonald said the cost of dualling the A9 would rule Out many other planned upgrades. But campaigners for the scheme, including hauliers who use the route regularly, believe it would be money well spent.
Robert Docherty, depot manager for M&H Carriers In Inverness, sends three loads a day along the road. He believes the A9 could be upgraded with little effort— and stresses that It would help cut journey times and accident rates, "They say frustration causes accidents, and it's true," he adds, "It's foolhardy to be thinking It doesn't need it" Some MSPs appreciate the problems—Morayshire MSP Margaret Ewing told the parliament: "Lorry drivers who use the A9 regularly find the switches from duelling to single carriageways very confusing.
"Regulations require many of them to drive at only 40mph and that leads to what they call 'platooning on the A9. That is when many accidents occur."
While Macdonald rejected the arguments for duelling, he promised to consider other proposals such as use of average-speed cameras to enforce the speed limits; improved overtaking opportunities, which might include duelling some stretches or building crawler lanes; and measures to Improve drivers' awareness of junctions and access roads by improving visibility and *nage.