Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has welcome an SNP u-turn on 50 mph limits on single-carriage national speed limit roads.
This followed huge public opposition, with nine out of ten responses to a public consultation being opposed to the measure, and opposition in the Scottish Parliament led by the Scottish Conservatives.
A Scottish Government announcement today revealed that the proposal had been scrapped.
Jamie Halcro Johnston said: “I am pleased to see these ridiculous plans dumped after overwhelming opposition from the Scottish Conservatives and from the Scottish public.
“These out-of-touch proposals seemed more like an attempt to punish motorists and a distraction which would have allowed ministers in Edinburgh to avoid taking responsibility for their neglect of our vital infrastructure.
“A blanket change to speed limits is disproportionate and would have a huge impact on motorists all over Scotland, especially in the Highlands and Islands where single-carriage national speed limit roads are the main routes that connect most of our communities.
“There are real safety concerns on some rural roads and speed must be considered as part of a well-targeted response to specific problems.
“However, it is important that we address the terrible state of roads across the region, many of which present obvious dangers such as potholes that provide a real threat to road users.
“And, of course, we need to see the promises made to our communities – such as the dualling of the A9 and A96 – finally delivered by SNP ministers who have repeatedly failed to deliver what they said they would, even when lives are at stake.
“So while today’s screeching u-turn is welcome, it is clear that this SNP Government needs to get on with fixing our roads network and sorting out countless long-overdue projects”.
