Demands for A9 Highland dual path plan re-think

Lives will be put in danger if current plans remain unchanged for a cycleway and footpath just a few yards away from vehicles often travelling in excess of 80mph, it has been claimed.

The concerns have come to light following Transport Scotland’s recent consultations in the strath on the £40 million plans for the new 7.45-kilometre stretch of dual carriageway between Dalraddy and Kincraig.

It is understood that the new cycleway will be just 2.5 metres (eight feet) – one car’s width – from the edge of the carriageway, and there will be no barriers or screening to offer protection to path users.

Mr Dave Morris, director of Ramblers Scotland, said: "It would be crazy to spend billions of pounds upgrading the A9 and not put in a walking, cycling and riding route which is at a sensible distance from the main carriageway, even if this requires Transport Scotland to purchase some additional sections of land adjacent to that already planned.

"This would be pennies of additional expenditure when compared to the total scheme cost, and would cause no delay to the timetable for route construction if built into the plans at this stage."

Mr Ruaridh Ormiston, owner of the Newtonmore Pony Centre, has been vocal on the danger which, he said, had not been obvious solely by looking at the plans at the two consultations held in Kincraig and Aviemore.

He told the "Strathy": "The engineers told me the reason it is so close is because the corridor for the dual carriageway is not wide enough to have it at a safer distance – it sounds to me like they need to purchase a slightly wider corridor."

He added: "Long distance users like those doing the John o’ Groats to Land’s End route need this good direct route to keep them off the road.

"They will definitely not use the Badenoch Way and Speyside Way, which are too windy and indirect and not aimed at people wanting to get somewhere."

The work on the badly needed dual carriageway in the Kincraig area is due to start in 2015/16 and is expected to take between 18 months and two years to complete.

It is the first phase of the Scottish Government’s £3 billion plan to dual the entire length of the A9 between Inverness and Perth.

A Transport Scotland spokesman said: "The cycleway was requested by the Cairngorms National Park and has been agreed with Sustrans as a direct way to connect communities.

"The layout exceeds the requirements of Cycling By Design, the Transport Scotland guidance drawn up in partnership with the cycling community, which calls for verges separating cycle paths from a main carriageway to measure at least one metre.

"In this case the width of the proposed verge is 2.5 metres."

A Cairngorms National Park Authority spokesman said they were currently assessing the proposal.

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