NEW figures are to be unveiled detailing the effectiveness of the speed cameras in preventing death and major accidents along one of Scotland's most dangerous roads.
A year after the 'safety cameras' were installed along the A9 and following comments by ministers that the controversial devices were there to stay, Transport Scotland will publish what it describes as "an accurate, up-to-date assessment on the system’s performance".
It comes as campaigners against the speed cameras claim official figures show the number of accidents and fatalities have actually risen since their installation.
They also claim it slows down traffic outwith peak hours, impacting upon the local economy.
The Government yesterday said it would not to bow to pressure and remove the average-speed cameras from the A9,
claiming they were improving safety on the notorious route and and that scrapping the £2.5million scheme would put lives at risk.
Transport minister Derek Mackay said: “The fact that average-speed cameras have brought down, drastically, excessive speeding and speeding overall has increased confidence in the A9.
“According to the samples and the polls I’ve seen, people feel safer. There is a slight increase in journey, time but fewer incidents.
“I don’t accept the argument that a loss of life or injuries are an acceptable price to pay for folk to make up five minutes in a journey."
But campaigner Mike Burns of the A9 Safety Group said official government statistics showed the number of fatal collisions between Perth and Inverness was 20 per cent higher than the average figure for the equivalent period over
the three preceding years. The number of fatalities, four, was also 10 per cent up.
He said: "The simple fact is that since the introduction of A9 cameras, there has been a continued rise in like-for-like accidents between Perth and Inverness, a rise in fatalities between Perth and Inverness, a massive increase in journey times between Perth and Inverness and a rise in people caught speeding between Perth and Inverness."
A Transport Scotland spokeswoman said: "The latest figures for the A9 Safety Cameras are due for publication on Wednesday) providing an accurate, up-to-date assessment on the system’s performance.
"Despite claims by some critics that 'summer would be chaos and carnage on the A9' this didn’t materialise. Traffic volumes are up and measures in the A9 interim safety plan have delivered substantial reductions in accidents and casualties.
“Work is now well underway on the ambitious A9 dualling programme and, it goes without saying, a project of unprecedented scale will unfortunately result in disruption at times but bring long term benefits as it is progressively completed.”
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