The cost of maintaining crumbling parts of the A9 has soared to more than £300 million since the SNP came to power, new figures have revealed.
Scottish Conservative shadow rural secretary and Highlands and Islands MSP, Tim Eagle, said the huge costs illustrate the A9’s “dire state of disrepair” after the statistics showed a staggering £302 million has been forked out on the upkeep of the road.
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In the last year alone, a staggering £25 million has been paid out on the route compared to £12 million in 2006/7 when the SNP first came to power.
An average of £16.8 million is having to be spent every year on maintaining the road.
The SNP government had in 2011 pledged to make the route between Perth and Inverness dual carriageway by 2025, which was estimated to cost in the region of £3 billion.
To date only two of 11 sections, covering 11 miles, have been completed, meaning 77 miles still need to be worked on.
The government admitted in February 2023 that it would no longer be able to meet its deadline.
A new target of 2035 has since been set, with the cost mooted to be £3.7 billion.
Scottish Conservative shadow rural secretary and Highlands and Islands MSP, Tim Eagle, said: “These eye-watering figures lay bare the A9’s dire state of disrepair and illustrate that this road is completely unfit for purpose.
“At the heart of this are families who have lost loved ones due to the A9’s unacceptable condition.
“This is the tragic reality of the dangers the road poses after almost two decades of neglect from the SNP government, which has delivered a mere 11 miles of dual carriageway in 17 years.
“Their failure to provide the necessary investment in our roads betrays local communities, undermines Scotland’s future connectivity and endangers lives.
“Rather than spending endless sums patching up the A9, the SNP must prioritise dualling the road as a matter of urgency.”