SNP MSP Clare Adamson has blamed Covid and contractors on “massive” delays in delivering on promises to fully dual the A9 and A96.
On BBC’s Debate Night in Elgin, Ms Adamson was laughed at by the audience following her remarks which drew astonishment from host Stephen Jardine and the audience.
The Motherwell MSP said Covid has “changed the landscape” of who is prepared to do the work on the A9 between Inverness and Perth.
And she admitted the A96 project had been “challenging” for government.
Several audience members from the area shared their anger and frustration at the failure to dual the route between Aberdeen and Inverness.
One woman said her husband was “lucky to be alive” following a serious crash on the A96 in 2019, with it taking six hours to cut him out of his vehicle.
Another woman from the area said the route was a danger with lorries almost “wiping her out”.
Contractors behind part of the A96 project, Mott MacDonald Sweco, last year blamed the impact of the SNP-Green coalition on their decision to close its Forres office.
The SNP committed to dualling the road more than a decade ago.
But full dualling is now subject to an environmental review, following the power-sharing deal struck between the SNP and the Greens in 2021.
Government roads agency Transport Scotland is currently looking at 16 options for the route, with a further public consultation to be carried out on these plans.
Only after this concludes, will a final decision be made on whether to fully dual it.
Covid blamed for delays
On a separate project to dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth, Ms Adamson said it had been “very difficult” to get contractors to bid for some of the work.
She added: “Part of this is due to Covid and part of this is a change in the landscape of who is actually prepared to bid and do some of this work.”
Former Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth revealed earlier this year that the project to dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth had been delayed again.
A bid to upgrade the Tomatin-Moy section in the Highlands was rejected over high costs and will have to go out to tender again.
Asked by host Mr Jardine if she was really still blaming Covid for the failure to deliver on these projects, Ms Adamson said: “Covid changed many, many things in our economics, in our procurement ability, in the building industry and that has changed.
“It was very difficult to get people to come forward and even compete to do some of this work. Part of that is due to Covid”
“We’re still blaming Covid – now?”@ClareAdamsonSNP is pressed on delays to the A96 project#bbcdn https://t.co/h1xQaqhZVm pic.twitter.com/pOEKUN83Ce
— BBC Debate Night (@bbcdebatenight) May 24, 2023
“I’m not from this area (Elgin) so I don’t know the specifics of what is happening with this road (the A96) but I do know the government is progressing and trying to go to re-tender for some of the works.
“And that the work is carrying on now to try to bring the promises about the A9 and other road networks to fruition.
“Certainly Covid has caused a massive delay in bringing forward these projects.”
Former Highland Green MSP Andy Wightman received applause from the audience after he said the north of Scotland is “generally ignored” by government.
He said that while he believes the government must focus on public transport, the north “need these roads and will always need these roads”.
He added: “I despair at the politicians and the promises they make and their failure to deliver on them.”
Only two of of 11 of the sections of the A9 project have been completed to date.
The upgrade will no longer be completed by 2025 as planned, with an update not expected until autumn on a revised target completion date.
‘Out of touch’
Highland Tory MSP Edward Mountain, who was also on the panel, described Ms Adamson’s comments as “insulting and completely out of touch”.
He added: “It is no surprise she was laughed at for her obscene excuses behind her party’s failure to fulfil their promise which was first made in 2011.
“The SNP could have had a local MSP with informed opinions and beliefs about the importance of this upgrade but instead they chose to send someone who doesn’t have a clue about one of the most important issues to Elgin and the wider area.”
In response to the Tories, an SNP spokeswoman said: “The lack of self-awareness from a party who have absolutely hammered the north of Scotland by crashing the economy, and dragging us out of the EU against our will, is astounding.
“When it comes to infrastructure projects for the north and north-east specifically, successive Tory and Labour governments at Westminster sat on their hands when it came to major projects like the AWPR – first promised in the 1960s. The SNP delivered.
“And the SNP has also delivered new train stations for Inverness Airport and Kintore on top of a number of other projects. “
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