Gas firm SGN will pause roadworks on the A9 near Dunkeld after a week of traffic chaos and hours of delays to journeys.
The company is fitting a new gas pipeline but has been condemned for poor communication.
Visitors to Pitlochry attraction The Enchanted Forest were among business sounding the alarm at the impact of the roadworks.
Its director, Nela Popovic, wrote to SGN cheif Mark Wild asking for a pause earlier this week.
Perthshire MSP John Swinney continued his angry response in parliament today as the new pause was confirmed.
“Over my years in parliament I’ve had many calls with many leaders of corporate organisations,” he said.
“I have never had one quite so disengaged as with the chief executive of SGN on Friday.”
SGN announce pause
SGN has been working since October 23 on the high pressure pipeline serving homes across the region, including Birnam, Logierait, Dunkeld, Aberfeldy and Pitlochry.
“After listening to feedback from customers and our stakeholders, we’ve decided to pause work later this week,” SGN said in a statement today.
“This will enable easier travel for those attending bonfire night events and the final weekend of the Enchanted Forest before we move into the next section of our project at the A9.”
The road will be fully open from Friday until Sunday night.
However, work resumes “first thing” on Monday and is due to continue right through to March next year.
Perthshire politician Murdo Fraser raised the massive delays in a question to the Scottish Government in Holyrood today.
“These delays are devastating for those travelling the A9 to and from the Highlands, for those making local journeys in Perthshire to go to work or take children to school, and for the tourist economy including events such as the Enchanted Forest,” he said.
The length of the expected works will damage the wider Highlands economy, it was claimed.
‘Regrettable’
Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing said: “As well as the extreme economic damage to businesses locally and in the whole of the Highlands, if it goes on until February it will be on a devastating scale.”
Highlands MSP Edward Mountain said he was delayed for two and a half hours on the A9 in both directions.
“I know how much those roadworks are strangling the Highlands,” he said.
SNP transport minister Fiona Hyslop met senior management at SGN on Monday.
Today she said: “I understand that these works have regrettably caused significant disruption for communities and businesses in the region, a point made forceably to me by the local constituency MSP John Swinney.”
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