UKC

Well seeing as the dreaded A9 has been mentioned recently I thought that I'd pop along to the "Events to explain A9 Perth to Inverness safety plans"

In two words...DON'T BOTHER !!

1) About a dozen free standing boards with some poor pictures, a bunch of empty phrases & meaningless statistics. They weren't even up to date as one board still showed averaging cameras from Dunblane to Inverness. It's now been decided, of course, that it can't be done and only the single carriageway stretches (seven) will be averaged.
2) Six suits standing around. No handouts & regarding further information....."It'll be on the web site or if not it will be soon"

I've wracked my dying brain cells to think of a more useless waste of time & money. NOPE couldn't think of one.

God help us

In reply to Alan Breck:

My average speed on a single carriageway section reached 55mph the other day! They'd better get those cameras in soon eh?!

In reply to girlymonkey:

Yep better get that three million spent. That expenditure soon covered, of course, by the additional speeding fines that plod will gratefully rake in.
It's much easier than booking the lunatics for dangerous driving....and there's rather a lot of that on the A9!

Thinks: Could always make up time by getting a ton+ on the occasional bit of dual

In reply to Alan Breck:

A poorly thought out knee-jerk reaction. The SNP had it in their manifesto to get the A9 dualled. So how's about getting on with it Salmond??

And while yer at it, put the new power cables underground instead of building those monstrous new pylons all the way up the A9.

In reply to drunken monkey:

Come on! This is an administration that can't get it together to get the trams, or a railway link, to Edinburgh Airport--and you expect them to be able to dual the A9??

In reply to Tim Chappell:

How long has the tram shambles been going on? Is it entirely Holyrood's doing?

To be fair - I couldnt give a shit about trams in Edinburgh, however people are dying on the A9 and its the main arterial transport link to Scotland north of Perth.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Eh? when the trams are running, they will be running to EDI.
http://www.edinburghtrams.com/using-the-tram/#stop-edinburgh-airport

Also, as DM implies, the tram project history predates this administration, so not sure your statement is justifiable.

In reply to Tim Chappell:


I saw a tram on Princes Street the other day and there is a tram stop at Edinburgh airport. Late and over budget but, in fact, there are trams and they do go to the airport.

In reply to Alan Breck:

I've got the handout pack that goes into the dualling project in a fair bit of detail. It was given out at the meeting in the townhouse in Inverness a few months back. You're welcome to have it if you're ever in Inverness!

In reply to drunken monkey:

They are getting on with it. The SNP are the only party to dual any part of the A9 in many years. Labour, Lib Dems didn't dual even an inch north of Perth.

However, I find it sad given that death on this road is made into yet another political football. Please think before posting such nonsense it affects people. But that is the way of UKC as 99% of the posters are utterly remote from the areas they post about.

To Tim, you are part of the problem as you directly support expenditure elsewhere and have been part of a system that has left the A9 to rot along with multiple other pieces of infrastructure. You are directly supporting expenditure on HS2, for example, instead of the A9.

Cost of dualling A9 = £3billion
Cost of HS2 (to Scotland) - £5 billion
There isn't enough money to to dual the A9 and "get on with it" as you are sending money south every day.

I find your desire to avoid this and other facts and your total insensitivity to death on a road and making into another of your narrow minded political posts pretty pathetic.

In reply to Saor Alba:

Whats nonsense? They said they would dual it - It was in THEIR manifesto. THEY politicised it. They aint half labouring the point. Covering it in average speed cameras aint dualling it. And, I havent seen it used in any political arguments either within the indy debate or otherwise - have you?

I live in Moray, so the A9 does affect me. I've also directly dealt with 2 accidents on the A9.

Suggest YOU think about what you are typing before you press submit.

In reply to drunken monkey:

The nonsense and insensitilvy that turns a road where many in the Highlands have lost loved ones on, into another pathetic and political UKC thread where everything is turned into an SNP bashing fest.

They are the only party who have dualled any part of the A9 in recent years.

There simply is no money to spend on the road due to the way Scotland is "funded" (like a community project).

I applaud the speed cameras until the dualling comes in. What your solution within the budgets?

And yes I have seen these arguments on indy. Ask good old Danny Alexander, the Mike guy from Foyers, and multiple other "commentators.

In reply to Saor Alba:

No SNP bashing here. I just want them to get on with it. The economy north of Perth depends on it. The SNP are the only party with any power to dual it in recent years!

Speed cameras are complete nonsense. Everyone stacked up behind HGV's doing 40-50mph - great idea. Lack of overtaking opportunities, continual switching between dual and single carriageway and just downright foolish driving cause fatalities on the A9. Not someone driving at 65-70mph.

In reply to Tim Chappell:

Airport link was killed on cost, just too expensive, complicated by the set up of present infrastructure.

In reply to Saor Alba:

And how much is being spent on reinstating the waverley line? that must be taking a hell of a lot of money away from the A9 - and health, education etc.

In reply to graeme jackson:

And the new Forth Crossing. Amazing how quickly that is coming together.

In reply to graeme jackson:

About £200 million from memory. Good idea I think. The thing taking money away, or not having access to it is 1) the block grant system 2) the inability to borrow until a few months ago and 3) the many other pressing issues that have to be weighed up against it.

In reply to drunken monkey:

Me too but they, or anyone else, can't due to lack of money.

It's like a house - you have the power to buy any house you want, but you don't have the resources. Power and resources go hand in hand.

I don't mind the speed cameras and I think a lot of opposition comes from middle aged men who don't like being told what to do. They worked on the A77.

In reply to Saor Alba:

Well it looks like the people who live North of Perth have been forgotten about for the benefit of the central belt.

In reply to drunken monkey:

I don't think that is the case at all and struggle to think how you could justify that statement given that the SNP is the only party intending to dual it?????????????

In reply to Saor Alba:

Eh?? New Forth Crossing - How much £££

Was this signed off prior to SNP Administration? (I've genuinely no idea)

You've said that - "SNP is the only party intending to dual it" a few times - I GET IT

They are the only ones that CAN do it. They aint getting voted out any time soon.

In reply to Saor Alba:

Intent and doing are 2 different things. As you say, if the money is not there, surely "intending" to do something without the cash is futile. The point about the Forth Crossing is quite valid.

In reply to drunken monkey:

Just to be clear about what you are saying here - if an administration spends money in one place, that means they are forgetting about another place?
Yes the Forth Bridge is happening as is the A9. There are also hundreds of other things going on.

In reply to drunken monkey:

The Borders is the only region of Scotland currently without a motorway or rail link.

In reply to Scomuir:

Aye it is, but it is going to happen. If everyone immediately thinks that all intentions are erroneous until they happen then life is going to be pretty tough and cynical. I had intended to go skiing today but I have shouted myself down in the mirror as I haven't actually done it yet

In reply to Removed User:


Where would such an expensive railway / motorway go? We are about to get 10km of new road in South Stockport at the bargain price of £290 million. Fortunately, it will relieve tens of thousands of vehicles a day using a rather congested section of A6 in a heavily populated area so perhaps money well spent?

They don't come cheap these there roads unfortunately.