Petition against average speed cameras on the A9

[Big J]

I realise that this doesn't affect a great deal of you, but the Scottish government announced some months ago that they were going to average speed camera the whole of the A9 from Perth to Inverness as an interim measure prior to dualling it. They did so without any public consultation and all efforts by pressure groups to enter into discussions have been refused until now, where they've finally 'permitted' a petition.

 

If you feel that it's relevant to you (or not, and still feel you want to) please could sign it if you agree with the wording (that has a few spelling errors that need to be ironed out).

 

The issue is that excessive speed is a factor in 2% of accidents on the A9, whereas overtaking is a factor in over 50%. The Scottish Government are using the average speed cameras as a distraction from the fact that they are taking decades to dual the road, which would save hundreds of lives. Additionally, it being primarily single carriageway would mean that lorries are limited to 40mph (95% don't adhere to that at the moment and the Northern Constabulary don't bother them as long as they stay until 50mph). This would result in monstrous tailbacks, increased frustration and more overtaking related accidents.

 

Anyway, here is the petition - please sign!

 

PE01503: Review of A9 speed camera proposals' - Getting Involved : Scottish Parliament

[caledonian bob]

Done, Thanks for starting this on here Jonathan. As a former truck driver who used the A9 almost on a daily basis I can say average speed cameras will increase accidents rather than decrease them.

[JimM]

Done. I've been driving the A9 for the last 24 years and watched the traffic get worse. Asda and Tesco lorries and their ilk end up with huge queues of cars behind them that cannot overtake safely due to the winding nature of the carriageway. I've lost count of the number of lunatic overtaking attempts I've seen on this road over the years.

Drove down on Friday night and back up today. It's even worse in poor weather when the drivers try to get past with even worse visibility.

Add tourist caravans behind the lorries in the summer and overtaking becomes an impossibility and frustration goes through the roof.

So glad the Scottish government chose to have trams in Edinburgh rather than spend the money on dualling it several years back. That worked out well, didn't it?!

It's not the lorry drivers fault as they are just driving to their rules and can do little about it.

[County 764]

It would be total carnage if lorries were made to stick to 40mph with all the frustration this was cause.

 

Drive the A9 most days, Consider it signed

[Stephen Blair]

I watch lorries pass laybys every time I'm on that rd, I've seen 1 pull in, in 15 years driving that rd.

I tow my caravan up and any more than 3 cars I pull in, frustration is certainly the problem!

[Stubby]

No were near me but I'm in !

[Sussex Groundie]

In Sussex at Handcross on the A23 they are widening the dual carriageway, will be finished Sept 2014, Major roadworks! 40MPh Average Speed Limit. They have an electronic sign which informs you that last week 186 drivers were prosecuted for exceeding the limit. Think of all that lovely money at £60 per time per week! Considering theres another 52 odd weeks to go.

[Stu3k]

Signed ,these will be a nightmare ! I just picked up three points and £100 fine after forgetting to slow back own to 60 after being on a bit of dual carriage way in pitch dark at 4 am after nightmare flight back from Egypt.

And i know the road like back of my hand !

MARE!

[Big J]

I wrote to Transport Scotland to enquire as to why it would take them until 2025 to actually dual it, as well as protest about the average speed cameras. They gave no clear or useful answer, simply stating that purchasing land was complicated, and that various bits would be completed by various dates. Typically vague and non committal.

 

Either way, I really do hope that they will back down on this one, as the average speed cameras have been demonstrated to be a bad idea for the A9 by quite a few different studies/groups/individuals. The problem is driver education - I think that it's a disproportionate number of tourists involved in the accidents, many of whom perhaps don't realise how dangerous the weather and traffic conditions can be. Education first, dual it second and if it's still claiming a disproportionate number of lives consider the cameras.

 

Jonathan

[Mike Dempsey]

Jim, The SNP were outvoted in Parliament and were forced to do the trams in Edinburgh against their wishes. They wanted to make the A9 a dual carriageway, but couldn't do both. For the amount of money wasted on the trams pet project they could have had a triple carriageway instead.