The Scottish Greens are calling for the abandonment of plans to dual the A96 road and instead focus on making public transport more affordable. The Scottish Government had originally committed to dualling the road between Aberdeen and Inverness back in 2011, but the Scottish Greens believe that this project would hinder efforts to reduce emissions and would be too expensive.
Mark Ruskell, the party’s transport spokesman, emphasized that there is no economic or environmental justification for fully dualling the A96. He believes that pouring billions of pounds into this project would only delay efforts to reduce the number of cars on the road and cut climate emissions. Ruskell suggested that the funds allocated for dualling could be better utilized for safety improvements and enhancing public transportation options across Scotland.
In addition to scrapping the dualling plans, Ruskell also called on the Scottish Government to end peak rail fares and introduce a cap on bus fares to make public transport more accessible to everyone. He criticized the recent reintroduction of peak rail fares, which he believes unfairly burden workers and students.
On the other hand, Scottish Tory transport spokeswoman Sue Webber dismissed the Scottish Greens’ calls as extreme and urged the Scottish Government to prioritize dualling the A96 road. She argued that rural communities rely heavily on this road and that lives are at risk without the necessary upgrades.
While the debate continues between the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Tories, it is clear that there are differing opinions on the best way to improve transportation in Scotland. The decision on whether to proceed with the dualling of the A96 road will have significant implications for the environment, public transportation, and the overall safety of road users. It remains to be seen how the Scottish Government will address these competing priorities in the coming months.
