Stewart to take up road issues with police chief
Local Labour MSP David Stewart is to take up road safety issues with the country’s head of roads policing.
Mr Stewart, Shadow Transport Minister and road safety campaigner, David Stewart, will meet Chief Superintendent Iain Murray, on January 22 at the Scottish Parliament.
On the agenda will be road safety in general, the police response to: driver behaviour, slow drivers who cause a build up of traffic behind them and fail to pull over, the A9 and the result of the change in the drink drive limit.
Mr Stewart said on Monday: “In my new role as Shadow Transport Minister and also as Regional MSP for the Highlands, Islands and Moray, I have arranged to meet the Head of Roads Policing to allow me to understand the Police response to all elements of road safety, plus their response to tackling bad driver behaviour, including slow drivers who fail to pull over and then cause frustration to following drivers.
“I will also be looking for an update on the outcomes brought about by the introduction of speed cameras on the A9 and also the commitment from Police Scotland that Roads Policing in the Highlands, Islands and Moray will continue to be bolstered and supported from resources across the country as and when required.
“It will also be interesting to learn what effect the change in the drink driving limit has produced.
“Back in November 2014, I wrote to the Chief Constable, Stephen House, asking him what response Police Scotland had to influencing driver behaviour, prevent risk taking by some drivers and educating slow drivers who cause a build up by failing to pull over, especially on the A9.
“Interestingly, in his response he advised me that between June 2013 and November 2014, Transport Scotland data showed that the mean average time of a journey between Inverness and Perth had actually only increased by between four minutes and 13 minutes, depending on the day of the week. These figures relate to journeys carried out between 7am and 7pm.”
