New Plans See Dualling Of Route Brought Forward To 2015

Lawyers who represent victims of serious road traffic collisions across Scotland have welcomed the news that a £3 billion programme to upgrade the A9 from Inverness to Perth to a dual carriageway is to begin earlier than scheduled.

The Scottish Government has announced plans to bring the improvement work on 80 miles of single carriageway between the two cities forward to 2015.

News of the plans has come around a week after figures from Transport Scotland revealed that the number of people killed on roads across Scotland fell around 11 per cent across 2011, taking the figure to its lowest level since records began.

Legal experts at Irwin Mitchell’s Glasgow office, who act for numerous victims left seriously injured following car crashes and road accidents in Scotland, said that the upgrade work could be a major step towards driving the fatality figures even lower.

Elaine Russell, a Partner and serious injury expert, said: “While the fall in deaths on the roads was positive, it still means that the number of injuries and deaths stands at 12,763.

“This is clearly a massive figure and there is plenty of work to be done to spread the road safety message among drivers, as well as ensure that the country’s roads are maintained to a safe standard.

“We have seen first-hand the terrible life-changing injuries that road accidents can leave victims with and have helped many victims gain access to vital funds that allow them to

“The upgrade work on the A9, a route which has become synonymous with a huge number of serious road accidents over the years, will hopefully be a step towards ensuring that drivers are able to reach their destinations safely.

“Quite simply, the project can’t come soon enough, so news that it has been brought forward will be welcomed by a huge number of people.”