Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has again challenged the SNP’s transport secretary to meet with constituents affected by increased traffic levels caused by major developments across the Highlands.
The Conservative MSP had previously invited Fiona Hyslop to the region to meet with communities around the A86, A889, A82 and A87 who faced significant problems from heavy vehicles and other traffic linked to the Skye Reinforcement Project and the Glen Mor workers’ camp at Fort Augustus.
However, while Ms Hyslop would not make a commitment to meet local groups in the Highlands during that exchange, she has now said she would consider a meeting in Edinburgh if she had “permission” to do so.
Mr Halcro Johnston questioned why the transport secretary would need permission to meet on an issue clearly within her brief and said he would be writing to the Ms Hyslop’s office to continue to press for a meeting.
Speaking after transport questions in the Scottish Parliament, Jamie Halcro Johnston said:
“I am disappointed that Fiona Hyslop would not come to the Highlands to meet directly with communities facing real challenges with high volumes of traffic around these major projects.
“It now appears that she needs ‘permission’ to meet with local residents even if they come down to Edinburgh to meet with her.
“I’ve no idea who the transport secretary requires permission from to meet with Highland groups worried about the impact of massive infrastructure projects on their local roads. I would have thought this would very much be within Ms Hyslop’s remit to do so.
“These communities have already appealed to a range of bodies about the issues facing them without any sense they are being listened to. The transport secretary’s intervention could make a genuine difference here – but instead she seemed to think this was solely the responsibility of SSEN, Transport Scotland, BEAR Scotland, Highland Council and contractors – everyone, it seems, except the transport secretary herself.
“While these are winding, local roads – often going right through the centre of communities and used by pedestrians from schoolchildren to older folk – they are also major routes and part of our trunk roads network.
“Roadside residents have already spent time and effort in managing challenges with camper vans and other large vehicles. Forcing more traffic and more large loads down these roads without proper mitigation will inevitably cause delays and risks.
“But residents do not feel like their concerns are being taken seriously because, once again, this SNP government seems happy to ignore them.”
