A9 row breaks out on eve of SNP conference
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THE SCOTTISH Government and the number two man at the Treasury continue to be at loggerheads over improvements to the A9 Inverness-Perth road and other roads in the region.
Inverness, Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey MP Lib Dem Danny Alexander has urged the SNP to end "half a decade of dodge and delay over vital Highland transport investments".
The call has come as the SNP’s party conference is about to get underway in the Highland capital.
Last month, Mr Alexander challenged the SNP to prioritise capital spending on transport which will do most to boost economic growth in all parts of the country.
He highlighted their decision to remove £250 million from the transport budget for other priorities and urged Ministers to think again – as well as to use the borrowing powers in the Scotland Bill to free up further funding from the second Forth road crossing to invest outside the Central Belt.
Mr Alexander said today: "Half a decade ago, the SNP were telling the people of Inverness that they would build a city bypass ‘much sooner’ than 2012 – and pay for it in full.
"They said they would dual the A9 and the A96 too.
"Five years later, we don’t even have plans in place to begin those projects, still less any action. The sad reality is that Asda is currently doing more to improve transport in the Highland Capital than the Scottish Government.
"SNP Ministers have posed for photos next to projects which they inherited from their predecessors, but they haven’t planned or funded anything further.
"Fake outrage can’t mask their dismal lack of progress any longer: it’s time they got on with the job.
"Inverness is now the home of Scotland’s newest university. Scottish Ministers should start by committing to a timetable for the new A9 to A96 link road which should serve the planned university and college campus."
But the SNP’s MSP for Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch, Dave Thompson, said the MP’s latest comments were a rehash of those he made in September.
He claimed this was exactly the type of behaviour that has seen Highland voters desert the LibDems in their thousands.
"His contempt for the facts and the truth is only matched by the staggering and shameless hypocrisy that he thinks he can get away with saying one thing in the Highlands and another in London," said Mr Thompson.
"As Chief Secretary to a Tory Chancellor he has made a 36% real terms cut to Scotland’s capital budget.
"Despite this Westminster cut the Scottish Government has ensured capital investment will be 25% higher in 2014-15 than in 2011-12
"Since 2007, the SNP has invested more than £50 million on improving the A9 between Perth and Inverness alone. "Yet during the eight years of Labour and LibDem control only £11 million was spent – and in their last four years LibDem Ministers were in charge of transport.
"And those self-same LibDem Transport Ministers never made a commitment to upgrade the A9 to dual carriageway standard from Perth all the way to Inverness – which the SNP is committed to do.
"The first time any Government has given such an obligation."
The SNP man added: "Danny Alexander has no leg to stand on when it comes to public spending since he stood on a pledge that the LibDems would not follow the Tories into accelerating cuts yet then went into government with the Tories to do just that.
"His attempts to mislead people means the LibDems are fast becoming a by-word for hypocrisy and dishonesty by continuing to practise such double standards."
