A96 Hosts Six of Scotland’s Ten Most Dangerous Trunk Road Sections
A new report reveals that the A96 has six of Scotland’s ten most hazardous trunk road areas, prompting calls for urgent safety improvements.
A96, Scotland, Road Safety, Transport Scotland, Aberdeenshire, Moray
Aberdeen: A recent report from Transport Scotland has flagged the A96 as a hotspot for road safety issues. It turns out that six out of the ten most dangerous spots on Scotland’s trunk roads are on this route.
The Annual Road Safety Review 2024/25 by Amey pointed out several risky areas, including the Blackburn and Inverurie roundabouts. They’re urging the authorities to step up and make some much-needed improvements.
In Moray, the A96 south of the Keith bends and east of Hardmuir also made the list of the ten riskiest spots. Over the last five years, there have been 14 fatalities on various sections of this road.
This news comes as plans to fully dual the A96 from Aberdeen to Inverness by 2030 have hit a pause. A climate report raised concerns, leading to another round of consultations.
Additional trouble spots have been identified by local councils, including the A90 Toll of Birness and the Forres Bypass. It seems like there’s a lot of work to be done to make these roads safer.
Amey has committed to reviewing these sections to see how they can improve safety. They’ve noted that while the number of serious accidents has dropped, it still hasn’t met the targets set by Transport Scotland.
In their report, Amey suggested some practical measures like resurfacing the roads and adding better markings to help reduce risks. They also mentioned that realigning the carriageway could be a longer-term solution, but that would be more complicated and costly.
Transport Scotland is taking this seriously. They’ve stated that even one death on the roads is too many. They’re investing a record £36 million to tackle road safety and aim to cut down casualties by 2030.
They’ve also launched a consultation to gather public opinions on speed limits, especially for heavy vehicles, to ensure safety while keeping travel times reasonable.
Local MSP Douglas Lumsden has voiced his concerns, calling the A96 a “death trap” in its current state. He believes the government’s inaction is a betrayal to families affected by accidents on this road.
He’s urging the Scottish Government to wake up and address the long-standing safety issues on the North East road network. It’s clear that the A96 needs urgent attention to prevent further tragedies.