The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
Councillors stand up for cycle and walking path
● No approval for section of A9 dualling work without it, they say
Highland councillors have dug their heels in once again over Transport Scotland’s refusal to build a cycle and walking path north of Aviemore to Slochd as part of the A9 dualling programme.
Badenoch and Strathspey councillors at their area meeting yesterday decided to join
Cairngorm National Park Authority and three local community councils in upholding their objections to this section of the A9 dualling programme because of Transport Scotland’s refusal to take the path on.
Transport Scotland says the existing cycle path is not impacted by the A9 dualling, and therefore ‘it cannot use compulsory purchase powers to mitigate something that is not affected by the A9 dualling scheme.’
Councillor Bill Lobban said: “It’s a lot of nonsense.
“You should be able to cycle or walk all the way from Perth to Inverness.
“The only trouble is once you get north of Aviemore there’s a gap to the top of the Slochd.
“We have objected all the way through, but they don’t want to provide the path.
“The road narrows a bit towards the Slochd so maybe it’s a bit more difficult. But if you’re going to provide a path, it needs to be length to length.
“Transport Scotland have tried to palm us off with a survey here, or a little bit of work there, but we want them just to commit to building a non-motorised users route.
“They’re spending many millions on this, and the expenditure on this little route will be tiny compared to the rest of the project.”
Mr Lobban said he feared the stalemate would end up in a public local inquiry and linger on for years.
Councillor Pippa Hadley said: “It’s frustrating that we should have to be fighting so hard for something everyone recognises is needed.
“Transport Scotland has this idea it will promote green travel, but it is offering nothing new.”
Councillors also maintained their objection to Transport Scotland’s decision to make the new link road planned at Glentruim to connect with the Newtonmore junction Highland Council’s responsibility.
Mr Lobban said: “We don’t need it, we have plenty of roads of our own. It’s an additional requirement to make the dualled A9 work and therefore they should be paying for it, not the council.”