Scottish Government rules out early start on off-road route between …
Click here to sign up to our free newsletters![1]
The Scottish Government has ruled out making an earlier start on the long awaited off-road link between Aviemore and Carrbridge following official confirmation that the dualling of the A9 is well behind schedule. Work will only start on the 10-kilometre non-motorised user (NMU) path once construction begins on the local dualling of the arterial road. The new route will make it much safer for walkers, runners, cyclists and other users to travel between the two villages.
The link will use some existing paths but the majority of the route will be a newly constructed bituminous surface. Strathspey MSP Fergus Ewing had asked for the project to be brought forward following recent confirmation from the Scottish Government of the lengthy delays in delivering the A9 dualling between Inverness and Perth. He had recently raised concerns from constituents with Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth -who has since become Education Secretary in Humza Yousaf's new Cabinet - because of the continuing danger posted to cyclists and others using the B9153.
Mr Ewing told her: "With the recent notification that there is a delay regarding the dualling of the A9, I would now ask that serious consideration be given to the option for the NMU project be treated as a separate entity...
"The B9153 road from Carrbridge to the A95 Kinveachy junction has a number of blind bends and is extremely dangerous, particularly for cyclists. "It is an increasingly busy road used by a never-ending stream of cars, lorries, buses, school buses, tourist coaches, etcetera, including a large volume of traffic going to and from the Landmark Visitor Centre - one of the biggest tourist attractions in the Highlands. "This road is also used as a diversion whenever there is an accident of the A9 - an increasing occurrence.
"When the dualling work is undertaken, there is no doubt that a large volume of traffic will seek to avoid road works by driving through Carrbridge.
"It would therefore be much preferable for an NMU at least as far as Kinveachy to link up with the existing Speyside Way be completed before the dualling work commences." But Ms Gilruth said it was not possible to take forward the proposed Aviemore-Carrrbridge NMU route as a separate project.
She said: "This is because it has been designed as part of the A9 Dalraddy to Slochd scheme and is dependent on its infrastructure including the scheme's drainage network and the roundabout at the new Granish Interchange which allows for an at-grade crossing of the A95 trunk road for NMUs. "The ACNMU also requires land included in the Compulsory Purchase Order.
"While I appreciate your constituents concerns and the desire to build this as quickly as possible, to do so in advance of the A9 Dalraddy to Slochd scheme would require aspects of the route to be redesigned, including the drainage design and also the crossing of the A95. "This would lead to additional costs and infrastructure works which would ultimately be abortive when construction of the A9 Dalraddy to Slochd scheme commences." Highland councillors back calls for public inquiry into A9 delay[2]
Scottish Labour accuses Scottish Government of doubling down on broken promises[3] Final views sought on off-road link between Aviemore and Carrbridge[4] Some of the works will include the upgrading of existing infrastructure as well as widening paths to meet the required three metres standard for an NMU route.
The scheme will closely follow existing road corridors in order to reduce environmental impacts including incursion into adjacent woodland habitats and potential disturbance to protect any protected species as well as minimise landscape and visual impacts. The NMU route will be a minimum of 1.5 metres from the trunk road and the Highland rail line. The off-road link project has been delayed after local community leaders successful forced a U-turn from Transport Scotland over its previous plans to use long sections of busy local roads.
Do you want to respond to this article?
If so, click here[5] to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.
References
- ^ Click here to sign up to our free newsletters! (www.strathspey-herald.co.uk)
- ^ Highland councillors back calls for public inquiry into A9 delay (www.strathspey-herald.co.uk)
- ^ Scottish Labour accuses Scottish Government of doubling down on broken promises (www.strathspey-herald.co.uk)
- ^ Final views sought on off-road link between Aviemore and Carrbridge (www.strathspey-herald.co.uk)
- ^ here (www.strathspey-herald.co.uk)