Pressure is mounting to accelerate the A9 dualling project after Perthshire man George Leslie Norris was named as the 12th person to die on the major road this year.
The 64-year-old from Bankfoot was the driver of a silver Ford C-Max travelling south on the A9 near Kingussie at around 6.45pm on October 12 when it was involved in a collision with a Merdedes Sprinter van and a blue Renault Captur, both travelling north.
Despite the attentions of emergency crews, Mr Norris was pronounced dead at the scene.
The 41-year-old male driver of the van and 20-year-old male passenger were checked over by paramedics.
The 61-year-old female driver of the Renault and 79-year-old male passenger were also treated at the scene.
Constable Nicola Curley, of the Highland and Islands Road Policing Unit, said: “Our thoughts are with Mr Norris’s family at this very difficult time.
“Enquiries remain ongoing to establish the full circumstances and I am requesting anyone who may have any information or dash cam footage of the their journey on the A9 around the time please call 101, quoting reference 2835 of October 12, 2022.”
The death of Mr Norris brings the toll of tragedies on the A9 road between Perth and Inverness – dubbed the ‘most dangerous in Scotland’ – so far this year to 12.
The first of this year’s deaths was on the A9 near the Slochd summit in the Highlands in July where a toddler and his grandparents were the victims.
The following month saw two separate crashes, both involving a car and a lorry, at Ralia by Newtonmore, claiming the lives of three people.
Philippa Grant MBE of Rothiemurchus died in a road accident on the A9 near Carrbridge, Highlands on September 16.
The first fatality in Perthshire took place on the same day north of Dunkeld where Jacalyn Margittay, from Wisconsin, died in a crash while travelling in Scotland with a friend.
Sixty four-year-old lorry driver Alan Jones was killed in crash with another HGV on the A9 near Carrbridge on September 30.
Then on October 6 a male driver and a female passenger tragically died after their Mercedes collided with a HGV near Dunkeld.
This year is the deadliest on the A9 since 2010 when 13 fatalities were recorded, with more than 330 lives claimed since 1979.
Approximately 70 miles are not dualled despite Transport Scotland’s project web page claiming “Completion 2025” and the SNP’s pledge 15 years ago.
At an estimated £3 billion it has been described as the biggest project in Scottish history. However, since then, only two sections totalling around just 11 miles have been added.
Mid Scotland and Fife MSP Murdo Fraser has called on the Scottish Government to “sit up and take notice” at the recent spate of fatalities.
He said: “I’ve repeatedly called for the SNP to push on with the dualling but progress has been painfully slow.
“Instead, it appears they have become too distracted by their obsession with independence.”
Mr Fraser continued: “Road safety campaigners and residents living adjacent to the A9 will be shocked
that 12 people have died following accidents on the A9 since July.
“They want action, not more delays and excuses from this government.”
Mr Fraser previously campaigned to have the whole of the A9 Perth to Inverness road dualled.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The recent accidents on the A9 are a tragedy for everyone involved.
“Our sympathies are with the families and friends of everyone affected by these events.
“Road safety is of paramount importance and we are working with police and our operating companies to understand the circumstances of the accidents that have happened.
“As police investigations are ongoing, we cannot comment on these.
“We will continue to invest in the safety of the A9 where it is appropriate and possible to do so, and the A9 safety group will continue to consider safety for the wider route.
“The Scottish Government remains firmly committed to completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness.
“We have already invested over £400 million to date delivering the dualling programme. Work to determine the most suitable procurement options for the remaining sections of the A9 dualling is ongoing.”
