THE SNP’s Westminster leader has suggested  controversial road building projects will still go ahead on “safety” grounds despite his party’s joint government deal with the Greens.

Ian Blackford said safety would be “key” to whether - in line with an SNP promise - the A9 and A96 will be upgraded to dual carriageway, adding: “These things will still happen.”

His comment was in spite of the Scottish Greens vehemently opposing both projects.

Nicola Sturgeon and Scottish Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater agreed last week on a power-sharing arrangement short of a full coalition.

If ratified by Green members this week, it will see the two pro-independence work together on a shared agenda for the next five years.

Some policy disagreements were excluded from the deal to minimise friction, including aviation, defence, Nato membership, field sports, and independent schools.

However road building was not.

The Scottish Greens oppose the building of new roads, and have repeatedly objected to dualling the A9 from Perth to Inverness and the A96 from Inverness to Aberdeen, arguing the work would increase car use and pollution.

The joint government deal says the SNP and Greens will “maintain distinct positions” on dualling the A96.

It says the "current" plan is to fully dual the route between Inverness and Aberdeen.

But it also says there will be "a transparent, evidence-based review to include a climate compatibility assessment to assess direct and indirect impacts on the climate and the environment" by the end of 2022. 

The agreement does not mention the A9 specifically. 

It says “work on other trunk roads projects and programmes under construction, design, development or procurement will continue and be subject to the normal statutory assessment and business case processes”.

But it also says new road projects will “normally only be taken forward where they reduce the maintenance backlog; address road safety concerns or adapt the network to deal with the impacts of climate change or benefit communities such as bypassing settlements”.

Greens co-leader Patrick Harvie last week accepted the A9 dualling programme would be completed, but stressed the A96 work was subject to a review.

However the SNP, which did not need to enter joint government with the Greens, has already promised voters to dual both the A9 and A96 in their entirety.

Its manifesto for May’s Holyrood manifesto said: “We were the first Government to commit to dualling both the A9 and A96 and remain committed to completing both programmes, ensuring the road network between all Scottish cities is of dual carriageway standard.”

On BBC Radio Scotland’s Good Morning Scotland programmme this morning, Mr Blackford was asked whether that promise might now be broken.

He said: “Most people are congratulating what is a far-sighted arrangement between the SNP and the Greens.

“We recognise our responsibilities that we have to get to net zero [carbon emissions], to make sure that we have an efficient transport system as part of that, empahsising public sector transport as well.”

Pressed on the A9 and A96 dualling plans, the Skye MP said: “Well, what is important is that we take account of safety and that will be key, both when it comes to the A9, the tremendous improvements that have been made, and indeed the requirement that we have to make sure that we deliver safety over the course of the A96 as well.

“These things will still happen.”

A Scottish Greens spokesperson said: “The draft co-operation agreement between the Scottish Greens and the Scottish Government would see the proposed A96 expansion project subjected to a climate impact review.

"That process is separate from essential safety improvement works on the route.”