A96 accident figures branded ‘horrifying’ as MSP renews dualling call
A total of 10 people have died and hundreds have been injured on the A96 over the last five years, Scottish Government figures have revealed.
The statistics have prompted Conservative MSP for Aberdeenshire West Alexander Burnett to call on the SNP Scottish Government to fulfil their pledge to dual the road in full.
He went on to brand the accident figures as “horrifying”, and believes they provide further evidence that the route should be dualled in its entirety.
The new figures show there have been 131 collisions on the trunk road between Aberdeen and Inverness since 2020, resulting in 10 fatalities and a further 207 people being injured.
For this year alone, up until November 7, three people have died and three more have been placed in a “very serious” life-threatening condition following collisions on the road.
The statistics come just weeks after the Scottish Government abandoned its commitment to make the A96 fully dual carriageway by 2030.
A review, commissioned by Transport Scotland which has now cost taxpayers £6.2 million, also recommended not dualling the remaining 86 miles of the road despite the SNP’s pledge to fully dual it in 2011.
However, 13 years and 16 transport ministers later, another consultation has been lodged following the review.
It follows a campaign, launched by the Scottish Conservatives, seeking to gather support from the public to stop the SNP from rowing back on their commitment to fully dual the A96, describing the situation as a “matter of life or death”.
Mr Burnett, said: “These figures are horrifying, and my thoughts go to the families who have tragically lost loved ones on the A96.
“One death is one too many and it’s clear the A96 is one of the most dangerous roads in Scotland.
“Yet despite this, the SNP government has betrayed our communities by reneging on its promise to fully dual the road, which it made 13 years ago.
“Each week which passes is causing upset to families whose loved ones have tragically died or suffered injuries on the road.
“Rather than playing political games with the safety of motorists, the SNP need to get out of first gear and upgrade the A96 as soon as possible - a pledge they have failed to deliver.”
