Tories Accused of Politicising The A9 Issues
A9 campaigner Norman McCandlish has joined forces with MSP John Swinney to express concern at the launch last Friday of a Conservative Party campaign on the A9.
The MSP together with the former chairman of former Chairman of the Mid-Atholl, Grandtully and Strathtay Community Council have worked closely over many years to bring community organisations, public opinion and public authorities together through joint demands to improve the A9. This effort has successfully led to the announcement of an upgrade to the Ballinluig junction and other improvements on the A9.
Political Opportunism
Mr McCandlish and John Swinney have expressed their concern that the Conservative campaign is not inclusive and does not draw together local community organisations. Mr McCandlish said: “I was disappointed to hear on Friday that the Conservative Party had decided to turn the campaign to dual the A9 into an overtly party political issue. I have always believed that the best way to achieve success in this campaign is to draw community organisations together in a joint demand for action rather than in opportunistic party political launches.
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The Ballinluig Junction campaign was always cross-party, and MSPs from both SNP and Conservatives turned out for photo calls and took different but converging angles of attack on the Executive. As a result we got the promise of a new junction (much delayed, but I always thought they’d build it in election year).
"Colin Howden of TRANSform should realise that rail and road transport are complementary not mutually exclusive. Both need serious upgrading along the A9 corridor and cross party support rather than infighting is the way forwards. Did Murdo Fraser ask for support from the Community Councils along the A9 before launching the Petition?
"We must avoid at all costs the appearance of single party interest otherwise the Executive will pick us off.
"Everyone should sign the petition (www.dualthea9.com) in the knowledge that it’s only part of an ongoing cross-party campaign. When it’s handed in, you need to have the next step and the next planned in a co-ordinated way which works with the grain of the various Parties’ philosophies towards rolling out upgrades to both Rail and Road systems between Perth and Inverness."
John Swinney said: “Real progress is being made in the campaign to dual the A9. Grade separated junctions at Ballinluig and Bankfoot will be established and other improvements have been achieved after a great deal of pressure.
Inclusive Campaign Pressure
“But the pressure must be sustained to ensure Ministers are persuaded by the case for improvement. That is best achieved - as we found on the Ballinluig junction campaign - when we draw together local organisations and Parliamentary representatives in an inclusive campaign that puts the case for all of us not just some of us. That is how I think the campaign should proceed.
“As the Member of the Scottish Parliament for North Tayside, I intend to invite all community organisations and individuals to come together for an update on the campaign to upgrade the A9. This will provide an opportunity to share with the local community how the campaign has been systematically pursued in the Scottish Parliament to upgrade the A9. It will also provide further information on the submission I made to the National Transport Strategy - on behalf of my constituency - to secure an upgrade to the A9.
“An invitation to attend this event - which will take place later in the year - will be extended to Community Councils and other interested local organisations, parliamentary representatives of all political parties and local authority Councillors. It will also give us a local opportunity to plan our next steps in the campaign. I hope this will bring together unified and effective action to demand dualling of the A9 and present a case that Ministers will support at the earliest opportunity.”
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