John Swinney has revealed a decision on the future of the Scottish Government’s 2011 promise of fully dualling the A96 has been pushed back to January amid fury over the “scandalous” delays.
At First Minister’s Questions, North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said John Swinney should be “ashamed of himself” for “playing games” with the lives of motorists by continuing to stall on dualling the entire road.
It comes as the North East was named the road death capital of Scotland after 24 people were killed on routes across the region last year. A further 384 people were injured, resulting from 273 collisions.
It has also been revealed that current SNP transport secretary Fiona Hyslop has met Green MSP Mark Ruskell 21 times for talks since she took the role in June 2023 – more than double the tally for any other party transport spokesperson.
After abandoning their commitment to fully dual the road by 2030, Ms Hyslop promised to make a final decision on the plans following the results of a public consultation in June which showed overwhelming support for the 86-mile upgrade.
But in response to Mr Lumsden’s question, John Swinney said: “I recognise there remains significant (safety) challenges, but ministers are fully engaged in that particular question.
“In relation to the capital investment program, the government, of course, will be setting out to parliament in January the infrastructure investment plans and the issues that we can take forward within the current fiscal context. That information will be shared with parliament and subject to the usual scrutiny.”
After FMQs, Scottish Conservative North East MSP Douglas Lumsden said: “It shouldn’t take 16 different transport secretaries and ministers to come to the obvious conclusion that the whole road needs dualled.
“John Swinney should be ashamed of himself for his continual wall of silence on the full dualling of the A96 when lives are being lost to the dangers of this road.
“The very least communities deserve is an apology from the First Minister, whose government’s neglect has made the A96 one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland.
“It’s scandalous that 14 years since the SNP made its dualling promise, residents across the North East are still in the dark on if this vital upgrade will ever happen.
“Rather than playing games with the safety of motorists, John Swinney should be honouring his party’s pledge instead of insulting people whose safety is being put at risk.”
