Failure to dual the A9 means the UK cannot meet its climate change targets

Colin Marr, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, says if the Highlands cannot meet its own climate change targets, the UK will also not be able to meet its targets - adding the A9 dualling project will “definitely get in the way”.

Speaking to The Scotsman, Mr Marr said: “If our region can’t hit its renewable targets, the UK can’t hit its targets.

“How much will transport infrastructure get in the way? It will definitely get in the way of some of it.

“The ironic situation is we have to invest in the roads to hit our green targets because so much renewable power for the whole country will come from here.

“We need to get this right.”

The UK Government has committed to reaching net zero by 2050 and has also signed the UN’s Paris Agreement to limit global temperature rises to below 1.5 degrees Celsius.

Last year, the Inverness and Cromarty Firth green freeport was announced, offering tax and customs incentives in renewables and creating 10,500 jobs.

But Mr Marr says businesses both in Inverness and the freeport are being continually impacted by delays to dualling the A9 between the Highland capital in Perth - whether it’s adding time onto journeys or general worry for staff travelling on the road.

He said: “It is about time this was done.

“This was such a clear commitment from the government and if ministers had stuck to their plan it could have happened.

“The freeport absolutely makes the need even more concrete.

“We are trying to attract 10,500 top-end engineers who are in demand all over the world to the area, and if their family or their partners say ‘I don’t want to live on a road that has such a bad reputation’, they may well go elsewhere.”

Back in 2016, Transport Scotland published a business case report on the dualling project setting out the economic benefits.

Mr Marr says many businesses have to factor in lost time on journeys because the road is so unreliable, adding there could be “enormous differences” for logistics companies using the A9, particularly those transporting fresh produce.

He said: “Dualling the road will take about 20 minutes off the journey time to Perth, which is important, but even the slightest thing can disrupt the journey.

“If one car breaks down on a single carriageway section, it can add 15 minutes - even a minor accident can add an hour because there is no easy diversion.

“Suddenly a three hour journey becomes a seven hour journey.

“If staff are going out on business, employers will worry about them, and I don’t think that happens elsewhere.”

He added while dualling the road might not lead to less accidents, it will lead to less serious accidents as the number of head-on collisions will be reduced.

The project has now been pushed back by 10 years and is due to be completed in 2035 - and it cannot come soon enough for businesses in the Highlands.

Mr Marr added: “When you run a chamber you have a lot of different issues and members are divided in their opinions - but on this we can’t find anyone against it.

“Instead it ranges from ‘it should be done’ to absolute fury.

“There is overwhelming anger here and they feel infrastructure projects in the rest of Scotland happen roughly on time and when promised.

“This most basic of needs has just not been met.”