Senior police officers say there’s no one reason for a spike in deaths on the the A9 this year.
Headlining on BBC Scotland broadcasts, above, and on the website:
The story will no doubt headline on Radio Scotland’s Good Mourning Scotland and Drivetime shows, with dramatic accusations from the opposition parties.
The website report does have the crucial context:
but the report misses something entirely – the pandemic.
The very low level from 2019/20 to 2020/21 is explainable – people were driving far less and tourism in that area was massively reduced.
So, if the 2018 level (5), in a period of increasing tourism in Scotland, had plateaued or even climbed by one or two, the 2022 figure, based on a return to the road and to tourism would have been less dramatic and less of a headline story.
Everyone knows that until we see the 2022/23 figures, we know nothing.
What we do know and could report with confidence is a steady reduction in deaths on the A9 despite increased tourism in this decade which must be attributed to those safety improvements which have already been made with SNP Government funding.
BBC Scotland will not, of course, report a 52% fall in road deaths, in Scotland, overall and a 76% fall in child deaths on the roads, from 2019.
Even less likely are they to report that road deaths on England’s roads in 2020, were 12% higher, nor that accidents resulting in an injury of any type were twice as high.
Sources:
https://www.transport.gov.scot/news/decrease-in-road-casualties-amidst-drop-in-motor-traffic/
Talking-up Scotland 
Fatal accidents are reducing due to improvements in vehicle safety (crumple zones etc) as well as improvements in roads.
BBC article mentions 11 crashes resulted in 17 fatalities.
Crashes are generally due to driver negligence, although it is well known that the stretches of the A9 which remain single carriageway tend to build up frustration in some drivers, causing races to overtake at dualled sections
The fact SG are in process of upgrading further sections hardly received any comment and was well down the report
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BBC Tory lies again. People believe they must have an agenda. The ‘reporters’ can’t count,, read a balance sheet, The statistic analyse is shocking. So, so poor. ££5Billion for that nonsense. An absolute scandal. Westminster Gov propaganda. A network of corrupt Tories and lying spin, Improved roads cut deaths. An absolute acknowledged static. New roads and bridges. Queensferry Crossing one of the best bridges in the world. A wonderful achievement. Raillines improvement. Helping traffic flow.
Westminster wasting £Billionson HS2 when the monies should be funding travel and railways in the North for better connectivity. Another absolute Tory unionist scandal.
The Tories not levelling up but levelling down. They will be gone within a year. The Tories causing numerous strikes that could have been avoided.
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Road Traffic Accidents , like ”Ferries”, are the fault of the Scottish Government not the impatience of drivers .
Ask any opposition mouthpiece or the National Propaganda Broadcaster .
As Truss said wisely , I think , ”Just Ignore them ! ”
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If I remember the SNP wanted to dual the A9 instead of spending money on the Edinburgh trams but the Unionist parties blocked it and was Murdo Fraser one of the most vocal against it also was he not against speed cameras on the A9.
It always amaze’s me when we hear about these accidents the road is always to blame and no mention about the driver.I have been on the road and the chances some take is crazy and if an accident had happened it would have been the drivers fault not the road.
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The main contribution to less accidents has been reduced speeding as a result of cameras being installed.
Drivers will curb their impatience if they think it is going to cost them money and points on their driving license.
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I live hear the A9 and use it regularly. The introduction of the Average Speed Cameras made a huge difference. The standard of driving improved and travel times were not significantly affected together they helped to reduce the number of accidents and fatalities.
The current ‘spike’ in accidents is probably due to the increased volume of traffic which in turn is the result of the disruption on the railways over the past year rather than tourist traffic alone.
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It’s a pity Labours Jack McConnel had not thought during his period as First Minister, that instead of returning £1.5bn to London, that perhaps some of it could be used to dual the A9?
Nope, a “Lordship” did sound like a better deal right enough..
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Historically Scotland’s road infrastructure, if you can even call it that, has been seriously neglected. The terrain is a challenge yes but look at countries like Norway, their public transport system and roads are not notch, hugely challenging terrain.
The only reason Scotland has the rural roads it does have, is because the land owners (thieves) wanted them to shift the sheep (once they had violently evicted the actual people) and themselves around the countryside. Then of course, heavy and light industry, but even then, a wholly inadequate neglected infrastructure. Let’s not forget the Eng/Brit Labour and Tory nationalists’ opposition to SNP building crucial new bridge over the Firth of Forth, a major arterial route for the whole country! I bet the ones who were so adamant it shouldn’t be built use it now though! Scottish Greens opposed it as well though, for environmental reasons, a lack of logic there. Hmmm.
Read, ‘Deep Fried Hillman Imp, Scotland’s transport’ an exellent book by Christopher Harvie, I think published 2010, I can’t find my copy right now. It’s more about the historic and more recent lack of transport in Scotland, and of course as with housing etc, all that terrible, criminal neglect, took place on Labours’ and the other British nationalists’ parties watch. A must read, available on ebay.
Look up ‘Scotland’s transport’ and it comes up with all sorts of stuff, a massive amount of books on it all, many about ‘The North’ or, ‘North British’, not actually Scotland.
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Aberdeen waited forty years for a bypass road. £Billions when to London to fund London S/E. The useless unionists. £Billions of revenues gone. Kept secret under the Official Secrets Act.
The Greens blocked it for 10 years. The traffic chaos and deaths every week.
The SNP Gov (Salmond) funded the bypass road. Proper roads save lives. Less traffic chaos and deaths. No longer accidents and deaths every week. Less traffic chaos. The essential road has paid for itself. A better bus service as a result and better connectivity. Better, quicker journeys saving fuel and time as well.
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The BBC headline reports an increase in the number of deaths on the road.
Is this due to more accidents, or multiple deaths at fewer accidents?
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That would involve doing some research and to be honest this from BBC Scotland.
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The Aberdeen WPR has made a huge difference to traffic hold-ups in and around the city. It was needed some 50 years ago and ignored by Labour, Tory and Tory/Lib-Dems when in government despite the money sent down to the London exchequer from the Oil companies. Eventually the SNP government put up the money and had to spend large sums on court cases to overcome objectors ( not the Green party).
There will be similar battles to be fought on the dualling of the A9 ( think finding twin routes through the Pass of Birnam and Killiecrankie for example)
The road’s completion is badly needed, but it won’t be easy to agree planning when locals have major concerns about junctions.
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The Gren Party objected to the AWPR for 10 years and blocked it. A Green masquerading as a Libdem – chairman of the infrastructal committee. Until they were chucked out. They blocked the expansion of the airport for International fights for ten years. Until Salmond/SNP overcame the obstacles and opposition and got it done. Improving the economy massively at the same time. Including investments in renewables and other sporting development. With massive support. Power to people to improve the economy.and connectivity massively. Saving time and fuel on journeys. Les traffic chaos. A great result.
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The AWPR, Ferry Crossing and new rail lines are magnificent. Absolutely brilliant. Thanks to the SNP. One of the best education systems in the world. The best place for renewables in the world. Investment by the Scottish Gov. It would be even better Independent. Even better services and construction of the economy. More equality and prosperity. If people vote for it. A cross or number on a ballot paper. Simple.
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£Million were wasted on the enquiries caused by the objectors. A minority. Scandalous putting up the cost of every development. Developments supported by the vast majority. Unionist political interference. Unionist politician manipulating to change routes and development.
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Unionist collaboration conspiring to waste monies and put up costs. Eating £Billions on ill thought out development with little support. Trans over spend. Bad planning went ahead. The unionists councils spending monies like there is no tomorrow ruining city centres. Lack of good planning or outcome. Borrowing and spending £Million on questionable wasteful schemes not supported by the majority. People who support Independence need to go out and vote for it at every ek3ction. Not leave it for others. A higher turnout to quash the opposition.
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