North MSP agrees safety on A9 ‘remains a significant concern’
Maree Todd has acknowledged that A9 safety “remains a significant concern” for her constituents in Caithness.
She has contacted the government agency Transport Scotland to highlight concerns raised by Highland councillor Matthew Reiss and to ask about plans for any improvement schemes.
The SNP MSP for Caithness, Sutherland and Ross was responding to an email sent by Councillor Reiss last month in which he warned that any long-term loss of part of the northern A9 would be “disastrous” for Caithness and Sutherland.
Councillor Reiss, a Highland Alliance member who represents Thurso and Northwest Caithness, pointed to a previous assurance that improving safety on the A9 is “a top priority” for the Scottish Government and requested details of any improvements planned for the trunk road north of Tain.
Ms Todd told him this week: “While Transport Scotland conducts thorough annual inspections to evaluate the condition of the trunk road and plan future maintenance, I recognise that the safety and reliability of the A9 remains a significant concern for my constituents in Caithness.
“I appreciate that addressing safety issues is essential, so I have contacted Transport Scotland to highlight the specific concerns you raise and to enquire about any planned or identified improvement projects along the route. I will update you once I receive a response.”
Councillor Reiss had also taken issue with the Scottish Government’s Action Plan to Address Depopulation and the fact that he could not find the words “Caithness”, “Wick” or “Thurso” anywhere within its 95 pages.
Ms Todd told him: “Although Wick and Thurso are not specifically mentioned, the plan does address the Highlands and Islands and includes many policy areas relevant to our far north communities. However, the Scottish Government also acknowledges that a one-size-fits-all approach will not effectively tackle rural depopulation.
“As a local councillor, I’m sure you would agree that making decisions as locally as possible is a sensible approach. I would also point to the excellent work in north-west Sutherland by Boyd Alexander, Highland Council’s settlement officer, as a prime example of the benefits of a localised approach.”
On capital funding, Ms Todd said she had “checked back several years and found that Highland Council is consistently in the top quartile”. Councillor Reiss had claimed there was “compelling evidence that Highland has been losing out on funding for many years, in favour of the central belt”.
The MSP added: “As a former vice-chairman of corporate resources at Highland Council, you may wish to reflect on your own role in the funding decisions made by previous administrations, including on schools and road maintenance. I welcome the current administration’s long-term investment plan, which I believe will help reverse the decline experienced in recent years.”
Councillor Reiss had contacted the MSP nine months after writing to her on behalf of Richard Gale and Ron Gunn, who chair the Sutherland and Caithness area committees respectively.
At that time Councillor Reiss referred to a landslide under the A9 near Portgower in 2018 which resulted in the southbound lane being closed for a long spell. Landslides had also occurred at Scrabster, he pointed out, while he called the narrow bridge at Culgower “an extreme hazard”.
