Fall out continues over Highlands 'betrayal' on A9 dualling

One of the longest serving SNP MSPs Fergus Ewing has lashed out at his own party for what he said was 'simply a betrayal of the Highlands' by failing to meet the 2025 target to dual the A9.

Yesterday, Transport Secretary Jenny Gilruth confirmed in Holyrood that the 2025 deadline was 'unachievable' blaming inflation, Brexit, the war in Ukraine and the pandemic.

Her words did not wash with Mr Ewing, who hit out at the 'devastating news' that will be all the more bitter 'for those who have lost loved ones' as most people in the north will greet the news with 'anger and disbelief'.

The words of the Inverness and Nairn MSP are likely to be doubly painful for the party as he is a scion of one of the most storied Scottish political families – his mother Winnie set it on a course of electoral success.

So for Mr Ewing to talk of 'betrayal' indicates just how much bitterly the government's failure to deliver the programme on time is.

To make matters worse the tendering process for the Tomatin to Moy section was an abject failure, attracting only one bid which Ms Gilruth said was 'significantly higher' than expected.

So according to Mr Gilruth: "Ministers have concluded that award of the contract at this time would not represent best value for the taxpayer.”

Responding on Twitter, Mr Ewing wrote: “The cancellation of the Tomatin to Moy section contract is devastating news for my constituents.

"Most especially for those who have lost loved ones. It’s been greeted with anger and disbelief.

"It’s simply a betrayal of the Highlands and of the people who have supported the SNP.

“Having campaigned on this for three decades I am shocked and angry – and rest assured – I will be continuing to exert all pressure upon the Scottish Government to raise their game and get Transport Scotland to follow suit.”

Meanwhile, former local SNP Highland councillor Bill Lobban could not hold back with his anger either.

Councillor Lobban (Independent), and also Highland Council convener, said: "Words cannot portray my utter dismay and disgust following the announcement that the SNP Government have finally admitted, what we have all known for years, that they will not be dualing the A9 by 2025.

"Let's be honest they never, ever were by 2025 and now we have to seriously question if they ever will or was it just another vote gatherer.

"None of the pathetic excuses traipsed out by the Transport Minister are justifiable.

"Brexit, Covid and now the war in Ukraine will no doubt have had an impact but what about the years before then when little was done.

"Yet again the Highlands are an afterthought and regrettably the carnage on the A9 will continue."

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