Veteran SNP MSP Fergus Ewing has blasted his party over delays to the A9 dualling scheme, saying “any more failure will not be forgiven”.
The SNP rebel took aim at the Scottish Government at Holyrood for failing to deliver a pledge to dual the route between Inverness and Perth by 2025.
He has frequently criticised his party in recent months over its handling of the project.
The MSP for Inverness and Nairn said a promise to bring forward a revised timetable in autumn is “far, far too late”.
The issue has become a central one in the SNP leadership race with all three candidates promising to speed up delivery on dualling the road.
‘We need to deliver’
Several Highlands MSPs spoke up for their angered constituents during a debate in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.
There were more than a dozen tragedies on the route last year, prompting campaigners to inundate the Scottish Government with demands to upgrade the road.
Mr Ewing told MSPs: “To be candid, the Scottish Government is in the last chance saloon here.
“We need to deliver, any more failure simply won’t be forgiven.
To be candid, the Scottish Government is in the last chance saloon here.”
“It’s hard to overstate the concern – and indeed anger – amongst my constituents and people in the Highlands about this issue.”
“Particularly about the loss of so many people, so many families whose lives have been devastated by it.”
He added: “In my view, the Highlands deserve more. They deserve better.”
There was outrage last month when Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth announced the route would not be dualled by 2025.
An updated timescale for completion will not be provided to parliament until autumn, after work to determine the “most suitable” procurement options for the remaining sections is completed.
‘I have apologised’
Dualling the A9 was a promise made by the SNP in 2007, with a completion target date of 2025.
However, Ms Gilruth admitted on February 8 that this was “simply no longer achievable” due to economic pressures.
A bid to upgrade the Tomatin-Moy section in the Highlands has been rejected over high costs with a target date to award a new project by the end of this year.
Speaking on Tuesday, Ms Gilruth said she has asked transport chiefs to explore if the procurement advice can be brought forward “sooner than autumn”.
The SNP minister added: “I don’t shy away from the challenge in relation to the completion of the dualling of the A9.
“Investing in our roads will always be important and we have to get that right as a government.
“I have apologised and I recognise the challenge here – absolutely.
“I take it very, very seriously. We need to now move forward at pace.”
Conservative MSP Jamie Halcro-Johnston, who brought forward the debate, said “too many lives have already been lost” on the road and “every month of delay risks more”.
Labour MSP Rhoda Grant, who represents the Highlands and Islands, called for a full inquiry into the handling of the scheme.
She said: “The project went wrong long before the pandemic.”