The Press and Journal (Inverness, Highlands, and Islands)
SNP MSP says ‘massive’ dualling delays due to Covid and contractors
SNP MSP Clare Adamson has blamed Covid and contractors for “massive” delays in delivering on promises to fully dual the A9 and A96.
On BBC’s Debate Night in Elgin, Ms Adamson drew laughter from the audience following her remarks which astonished host Stephen Jardine.
The Motherwell MSP said Covid has “changed the landscape” of who is prepared to do the work on the A9 between Inverness and Perth.
And she admitted the A96 project had been “challenging” for the government.
Several audience members from the area shared their anger and frustration at the failure to dual the route between Aberdeen and Inverness.
One woman said her husband was “lucky to be alive” following a serious crash on the A96 in 2019, and it took six hours to cut him out of his vehicle.
The contractor behind part of the A96 project, Mott MacDonald Sweco, last year blamed the impact of the SNP-Green coalition for its decision to close its Forres office.
The SNP committed to dualling the road more than a decade ago.
But full dualling is now subject to an environmental review, following the power-sharing deal struck between the SNP and the Greens in 2021.
Government roads agency Transport Scotland is looking at 16 options for the route, with a further public consultation to be carried out on these plans.
Only after this concludes, will a final decision be made on whether to fully dual it. On a separate project to dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth, Ms Adamson said it had been “very difficult” to get contractors to bid for some of the work.
Former Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth revealed earlier this year the project to dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth had been delayed again.
A bid to upgrade the Tomatin-Moy section in the Highlands was rejected due to high costs and will have to go out to tender again.
Asked by Mr Jardine if she was really still blaming Covid for the failure to deliver on these projects, Ms Adamson said: “Covid changed many, many things in our economics, in our procurement ability, in the building industry and that has changed.
“I’m not from this area (Elgin) so I don’t know the
specifics of what is happening with this road (the A96) but I do know the government is progressing and trying to go to re-tender for some of the works.
“And that the work is carrying on now to try to bring the promises about the A9 and other road networks to fruition.
“Certainly Covid has caused a massive delay in bringing forward these projects.”
Highland Tory MSP Edward Mountain, who was also on the panel, said: “The SNP could have had a local MSP with informed opinions and beliefs about the importance of this upgrade
but instead they chose to send someone who doesn’t have a clue about one of the most important issues to Elgin and the wider area.”
In response to the Tories, an SNP spokeswoman said: “When it comes to infrastructure projects for the north and north-east specifically, successive Tory and Labour governments at Westminster sat on their hands when it came to major projects like the AWPR – first promised in the 1960s. The SNP delivered.
“And the SNP has also delivered new train stations for Inverness Airport and Kintore on top of a number of other projects.”