Moray Labour reacts to A96 review – ‘A slap in the face’
Moray’s Labour party had criticised the results of a long-awaited review into whether the A96 road should be dualled.
The review, a 2000-page document, was finally published on Thursday following a series of delays stretching back two years. It neither categorically rules out dualling the full length of the road between Inverness and Aberdeen nor states that the work should definitely take place.
In response, councillor John Divers (Elgin City South, Labour) stated: “These recommendations are a slap-in-the-face for the people of Moray, many of whom have been campaigning for the dualling of the A96 for many years.
Councillor Sandy Keith and I, alongside the Moray Trades Union Council, have been campaigning for an Elgin bypass for over twenty years, and our commitment to full dualling is just as strong.
“Nearly a quarter of a century later, people in Moray have been promised time and time again that the A96 will be fully dualled, and this review only serves to prove yet again that this SNP Government cannot keep its promises.
“The Scottish Government needs to reject the recommendations of this review, and stand by its commitment to the people of Moray to dual the A96.”
Speaking at Holyrood on Thursday, Fiona Hyslop admitted that the Scottish Government’s self-imposed deadline of having the road fully dualled by 2030 would now be met.
However, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport added: “The Scottish Government currently favours fully dualling the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen.
“The A96 corridor review evidence suggests that there may be a different approach to provide alternative solutions at a more cost-effective, affordable budget.
“It is important that we gather the public’s views before making a final decision on the programme. So today, we are also launching a 12-week consultation on outcomes of the review.
“This will provide people, businesses and organisations with the opportunity to fully consider the findings from the detailed work that has been undertaken by Transport Scotland.”
