‘Beyond embarrassing’: SNP’s ‘appalling £3bn Scots betrayal’ will take 111 years to repair | Politics | News | EUROtoday

The long-running saga of upgrading the A9 in Scotland has uncovered the SNP’s “appalling betrayal” of rural communities, in keeping with new analysis.

The newest figures put the much-delayed undertaking “well over a century late”.

Calculations from the Scottish Conservatives present that, on the present charge of progress, the A9 is not going to be absolutely dualed for one more 111 years.

The SNP initially pledged to have the work completed by the top of 2025 – simply two years away.

The new evaluation, which relies on Transport Scotland’s personal figures, exhibits the “pitiful, snail-paced progress” of the SNP undertaking, in keeping with the Scottish Tories.

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The Scottish Nationalists initially pledged again in 2011, when the undertaking was predicted to value £3billion.

This is £4.67billion at the moment when adjusted for present costs, in keeping with the Bank of England.

The SNP vowed to completely twin the A9 from Inverness to Perth, on account of its strategic significance, connecting the Highland capital with central Scotland, and due to the variety of accidents on the lethal street.

Eleven miles (18km) have been dualled in 10 years, leaving about 77 miles (124km) of street to nonetheless be upgraded.

In February this yr, then-transport minister Jenny Gilruth mentioned the 2025 goal was “unachievable”.

Instead of taking possession of the delay, Ms Gilruth blamed it on the Covid pandemic, Brexit and the conflict in Ukraine.

Shadow transport minister Graham Simpson mentioned the SNP-Greens proceed to deal with communities reliant on the A9 with contempt.

He confirmed that dualing the A9 could be a pledge within the subsequent Scottish Conservative election manifesto, including that the social gathering “will always stand up for rural and remote Scotland”.

Mr Simpson mentioned: mentioned: “These figures demonstrate the appalling betrayal by the SNP of those who rely on the A9.

“Every day that these essential upgrades are delayed, more lives are put at risk on this deadly road.

“It is beyond embarrassing – it’s shameful. SNP ministers were already making pitiful, snail-paced progress on this, but the addition of the anti-car Greens to government has made things worse.

“Despite the mounting death toll and the understandable fury of campaigners, they continue to drag their heels by delaying a promised statement to parliament.

“The rural communities who depend on the A9 want to see the talking stop and work to finally start on the huge stretches that remain single carriageways.

“Unlike the Nationalists, the Scottish Conservatives will always stand up for rural and remote Scotland, which is why dualling the A9 will be the first pledge in our General Election manifesto.”