By Eric Nicolson

TWO BAD accidents on the A9 yesterday led to one death, two people seriously injured and traffic chaos on two of Perth-shire’s main arteries, in another black day for the notorious road.

A man walking on A9 north of Perth was struck by a lorry and killed in the early hours then, at around 10.40am, there was a two-car crash on the Stirling-to- Perth section near Blackford.

In the first incident, just after 4.45am half-a-mile south of the A9 junction with the B867 at Bankfoot, a 30-year-old from the Motherwell area was pronounced dead at the scene on the northbound carriageway.

His car, a green Peugeot 406, was found parked in a lay-by near where the accident took place. The driver of the heavy artic was not injured.

Tayside Police have appealed for witnesses to get in touch with them at their Perth division.

A police spokesperson said, “Tayside Police wish to trace and speak to anyone who saw a green Peugeot 406 parked in the lay-by near to this locus or any person who was seen walking on the carriageway there prior to the accident.

“Any person with information regarding this accident is requested to contact our Perth control room on 01738-621141.”

The road was closed in both directions while accident investigators worked at the scene. Diversions were put in place but there were major tailbacks in both directions for several hours after the accident.

One of the Blackford crash victims was airlifted to hospital.

The two-car collision happened on the northbound carriageway at around 10.40am.

A southbound blue Renault Kangoo estate was turning into Blackford when it collided with a northbound blue BMW M5.

The Renault driver, a 74-year-old man, was taken by ambulance to Ninewells Hospital in Dundee with serious injuries. The front seat passenger, a man aged 42, was airlifted to Ninewells with injuries described as “very serious”.

The two, who were cut free from their vehicle by firefighters, are from Cheshire and on holiday in the area.

The BMW driver, a man aged 67 from the Braco area, sustained minor injuries and was taken by ambulance to Perth Royal Infirmary for a check-up.

Tayside Police completely closed the A9 northbound at Blackford and diversions were in place for several hours.

Again any witnesses are asked to contact the police at Perth on 01738 621141.

Officers are keen to speak to an off-duty staff nurse and an off-duty paramedic who stopped to help. An off-duty firefighter who also stopped has already been traced.