The A96 is a “disgrace” and it “would have been dualled long ago” if it was in the central belt, according to our readers.
We recently highlighted our picks of the 10 worst sections of the A96 all the way from Aberdeen to Inverness.
From “death trap” junctions at Huntly to the endless roundabouts of Elgin, we aimed to shine the spotlight on the atrocious state of the main route between the two major cities, and how it affects the communities who depend on it.
It certainly proved a big talking point.
From anger at dualling delays to frustration with journey times, our readers took to social media to share their own thoughts and experiences of the A96.
Here’s what they had to say.
‘It took me 2 hours and 40 minutes to travel Aberdeen to Inverness’: Readers weigh in on A96
One of the most common sentiments expressed was annoyance at journey times, especially for people travelling for the likes of hospital appointments or visiting family.
“It’s ridiculous this road is not a dual carriageway,” said one reader.
She added: “Being stuck behind slow vehicles causes frustration and accidents.
“It took me two hours and 40 minutes to travel Aberdeen to Inverness, 103 miles.
“If this was dual carriageway I could take an hour off.
“I would have been able to get to Inverness in time to see an elderly sick relative.”
A fellow reader said he thinks it’s a “horrific road”, and that it’s “not suited to the volumes and different types of vehicles using it”.
He said: “If it was dualled I’m sure it would also mean a faster and more frequent bus service across the road length.”
“It’s a glorified farm track, especially between Keith and Fochabers” said another.
Lorries ‘thundering’ through communities
One of the worst aspects of the A96 we wrote about was the communities it cuts in half like Keith, where people have to contend with lorries and other heavy vehicles driving just outside their front doors.
One man, who said he moved to Keith last year, says it can take him 10 minutes just to turn onto the A96 from his nearest junction.
“Bypasses, (dualling) around the towns and villages would make it a much safer road,” he said.
“Lorries thundering through well in excess of 30mph is not nice.”
Would the A96 be dualled if it was in the central belt?
Many readers asked the question of whether or not the A96 would have been dualled years before if it was in the central belt instead of further north.
“I get the feeling if this road was in the central belt it would have been dualled long ago,” wrote one reader.
He said he’s thankful he’s now retired and doesn’t have to “risk my life on this awful road” any longer.
He added: “A combination of slow-moving vehicles and long stretches where overtaking is dangerous, coupled with driver frustration makes it deadly both for those who take those stupid risks and unfortunately for those who don’t’.”
Another comment read: “Let’s face it, we are far too north for them to really take it seriously, or it would have started years ago.
“They wouldn’t accept this nearer the central belt.”
Was Nairn a ‘glaring omission’ in our list?
Our list of the 10 worst sections of the A96 had one “glaring omission” according to one reader — the bottleneck at Nairn.
He suggested our list should have been the 11 worst sections instead of 10 to incorporate Nairn, and said it “must be the biggest singular traffic hold-up on the whole A96 route”.
And he makes a very good point.
The people of Nairn, like Keith, Elgin, and many other communities between Inverness and Aberdeen, have to deal with the huge volumes of daily traffic that use the A96 going straight through the middle of town.
In fact, the A96 as it travels through Nairn goes straight past the gates of a primary school, which has previously prompted safety and air pollution concerns.
‘It’s 40 years too late for Wacky Races A96’
Lots of readers said they think improvements should have been made to the A96 long before now.
One said said she doesn’t care “what colours is in government, or what side of the border they sit, it should have been upgraded years ago”, while another said she believes the road is “long overdue” improvements.
“Not much difference when I used it over 40 years ago,” wrote another reader.
Another said: “Just like the AWPR, it’s 40 years too late for dualling the Wacky Races A96.”
Conversation