A north MSP has said he has been “inundated” with complaints about delays on the A9 Inverness-Perth because of roadworks.
David Stewart, Labour’s spokesman on transport, said that one driver had complained that it took her five hours to get from Inverness to Stirling because of delays.
Two sets of roadworks within a few miles of each other on the Inverness to Perth stretch of the road at Dalwhinnie have been blamed for the majority of the problems, with traffic tailing back for miles in both directions.
Works in the Dalwhinnie area include the replacement of a bridge parapet and resurfacing works at Dalnaspidal between the village and the Drumochter Pass.
Other works on the road include the first phase of the A9 dualling project between Kincraig and Dalraddy, where motorists pass under convoy at a 40mph.
Mr Stewart said that he knew of five sets of roadworks between Perth and Inverness, adding that the Dalwhinnie ones were causing the most tailbacks. He questioned why they could not take place at night.
Mr Stewart also asked why the restrictions on the A9 at Kincraig were in place over the full five miles when no works had started.
Mr Stewart said he has set up an online petition calling for better management of the roadworks and would write to transport minister Derek Mackay asking for the same thing.
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: “We are doing everything possible to minimise disruption to road users during the remainder of these works, including temporarily suspending the bridge works at Dalwhinnie.
“At Dalnaspidal we are limiting convoy working to reduce build-up of traffic, reviewing our queue monitoring and manually operating the temporary traffic lights to allow longer queues to pass.
“In terms of the A9 Dualling: Kincraig to Dalraddy project, traffic management includes a 40mph speed limit enforced by average speed cameras to ensure the safety of road users and the workforce alike.
“Work began earlier this month and will continue apace in the coming weeks, becoming increasingly visible to passing drivers as it progresses.
“Delays, while regrettable, are often inevitable during major improvement projects and that is why we urge road users to plan their journeys in advance by checking all the available information such as Traffic Scotland and local media for updates.”
