Dave Thompson MSP

We recently received the welcome news that ground work has begun on the dualling of the A9, with construction expected to begin on the Kincraig to Dalraddy section in 2015/16. The dualling will bring considerable benefits throughout the constituency as transport links are improved, meaning shortened journey times and a boost to the Highland economy, as well as ultimately securing safer roads.

A related issue that I have been campaigning on is slow moving platoons of HGV’s on the A9. HGV’s are currently limited to 40mph on single carriageway roads, and as they tend to build up and travel in numbers this can cause frustration for drivers who are stuck behind a long queue of vehicles.
I have witnessed risky overtaking manoeuvres as people attempt to pass these lorries, and I am also concerned that so much traffic travelling at a slow speed is bad for the environment.

I spoke in a debate in Parliament to suggest that the Scottish Government should set up a pilot raising HGV speed limits to 50mph on the A9. This would allow HGV’s to travel at a more fuel efficient speed, cut journey times for all drivers and reduce the frustration that leads to drivers taking risks. Since the debate, I had positive discussions with the Minister, and I am pleased that the pilot is being given serious consideration.

There has been a lot of spin following the publication of the UK Government’s dossier on the legal position of an independent Scotland. I was pleased to see that in an interview on Radio 4’s Today following the publication of the dossier, one of the authors, eminent Professor James Crawford of Cambridge University, readily accepted that the 18 month period following the Referendum set out by the Scottish Government for the negotiation of Scotland’s independence is perfectly realistic.

The Professor also said that negotiations for Scotland to continue its membership of the EU would not necessarily be difficult. He concluded that the legal position of Scotland and the rest of the UK would depend on what arrangements the two governments made between themselves before and after the referendum.

I hope that following this clarification, the UK Government will engage constructively with Nicola Sturgeon and the Scottish Government in order to ensure that in 2014 the people of Scotland have all the information they need to make an informed decision.