Tories slam failure to commit to A90 dualling
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The SNP has been slammed for not including the dualling of the A90 between Ellon and Peterhead at its party conference – almost two decades since Alex Salmond promised to upgrade the major route.
At the event held in Aberdeen SNP members were asked to vote in support of fully dualling the A96 and A9 but the A90 north of Ellon was left out of all the infrastructure speech.
SNP Peterhead branch convener David Birkett spoke on stage about the benefits of the AWPR but refused to call for the A90 to be dualled despite admitting he drove “26 miles” before reaching the bypass at Blackdog.
Its absence from the SNP conference marks 16 years since the then-First Minister Alex Salmond pledged to dual the A90 in his first 100 days in office.
In December, the then-transport minister Jenny Gilruth said the plan to dual the road was considered but thrown out in favour of measures “to deal with the challenge of climate change” on the road.
North East Scottish Conservatives, whose manifesto includes dualling between Ellon and Peterhead, branded the SNP’s decision as “insulting to the people of Aberdeenshire”.
Scottish Conservative North East MSP Liam Kerr, who has pushed for the dualling in parliament, said: “The Scottish Government’s decision to ditch the A90 dualling was rightly met with fury among communities who are forced to use this unsuitable road on a daily basis.
“This should have prompted local SNP branches to ask their leader at conference why he has no intention of dualling the main arterial route connecting Peterhead and Fraserburgh with Ellon and Aberdeen.
“For too long, commuters have had to contend with accidents and near misses which is why it’s appalling that no one even attempted to address the elephant in the room during the conference which was held in the north-east.”
Banff and Buchan MP David Duguid added: “The SNP Peterhead branch had the perfect opportunity to put forward a motion for dualling the A90 between Peterhead and Ellon but categorically failed to do so let alone mention the road at all in their speech.
“The fact they deliberately avoided criticising the SNP Government’s handling of the road is an insult to the people of Aberdeenshire.
“Not only have the SNP so far failed to honour its commitment to dual the A96, they have completely ignored Alex Salmond’s pledge in 2007 to dual the A90.”
Gillian Owen, who runs the Why Stop at Ellon campaign, added: “The failure to mention the A90 north of Ellon at the SNP Conference shows the Scottish Government has turned its back on residents and would rather prioritise Central Belt infrastructure over the North East despite our region being the engine room of the country's economy.
“Lives have been lost yet the SNP seem to be totally oblivious to the safety concerns at the Toll of Birness.
“This is why I’m determined to continue my Why Stop at Ellon campaign to ensure the north-east receives the upgrade it so desperately deserves.”
