The A9 road between Perth and Inverness was originally due to be fully dualled by this year. Chronic delays have seen Scottish ministers push that back to 2035. Reporter Andrew MacKinnon hears from locals and drivers affected by this 10-year delay, alongside Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP in the latest Eorpa documentary: The A9 | An A9.
Campaigners have long argued for swifter progress, citing safety concerns on a road that regularly changes from single to dual carriageway. There has been political criticism of the Scottish Govenment’s failure to deliver on their original promise.
Tragically, there has all too often been the grief and pain that accompanies the loss of a loved one on what has become a notorious stretch of road.
Ronnie Weir’s house in the village of Dowally in Perthshire is a mere 25 meters from an undualled section of the A9. In April 2017, Ronnie suffered serious leg injuries on the same stretch when a car travelling in the opposite direction hit his vehicle head on. The female driver of the other car died at the wheel.
Speaking to Eòrpa, he told how the trauma follows him to this day: “You’re always concerned whether it is near the home or anywhere because the trauma which an accident causes is horrendous.
“Sometimes it’s difficult to speak about it because of that and it brings back memories about how insensitive some people were about the whole accident. They just wanted to keep on the road and don’t care.”
Lorry driver Elaine MacKenzie, whose job means frequent journeys up and down the section of the A9 that’s now due to be dualled by 2035, told Eòrpa: “People don’t understand that the signs say 50mph for lorries but not for cars.
“Everything slows down. Those behind me can’t get past, they get impatient, and they don’t understand that there’s people in front of me, and then they try to get past me in dangerous places. This is every day. I pray every time I go on the A9.”
Dualling is set to gather pace ahead of the 2035 deadline. Farmer Pamela Laird’s family has run East Dowally farm in Perthshire for generations. Speaking on camera for the first time about her situation, she told Eòrpa she’s set to lose a quarter of her land to the A9 under Scottish Government compulsory purchase powers.
So far she doesn’t know how much she’ll get: “We’re losing a hundred acres. In some areas they’re stripping the topsoil off and lowering it.
So it’s very invasive, very invasive. Flooding is number one worry for us. I don’t believe that the swales and suds and any mitigation that they have put into place will cope with the Tay when it is in full flow.
“I think when the river rises it’s just going to rip through everything.”
Transport Scotland told Eòrpa mitigation measures have been taken, including culverts to allow waters to drain.
The Scottish Government’s commitment is now for completion of dualling between Perth and Inverness by 2035.
Pressed on continuing safety concerns about sections yet to be dualled, Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP said: “Any loss of a life on the A9 or indeed other roads in Scotland is a tragedy in and of itself.
“Road safety is something as Cabinet Secretary for Transport I take extremely seriously and in terms of the A9 we’ve also invested five million pounds on interim shorter term road safety issues.
“We’re not waiting just for the dualling. The dualling in and of itself will help on road safety and that’s one of the reasons that clearly we’ve embarked on it.”
Inverness-based reporter Andrew MacKinnon: “The Scottish Government’s new deadline of 2035 can be seen as bitter-sweet. Progress is being made, and Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop has given her assurances that 2035 will be met.
“However, those who point to a need for the section to be dualled for safety reasons are faced with another 10 years before that’ll be done. And those who have suffered the tragic loss of loved ones will continue to grieve.”
Eòrpa: The A9 | An A9 premieres on BBC ALBA TONIGHT Monday 25 August at 9pm, and on iPlayer from 6am the same day.
Watch live or on demand: https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episodes/b006mvwb/eorpa