MSP Welcomes Increase in HVG Speed Limit

21st October 2014

Highlands & Islands (Labour) MSP and road safety campaigner, David Stewart, is delighted that an increase in HGV speeds on the A9, which he campaigned for, is to commence on the 28th of this month.

Speaking today he said " Back in December 2012, I was asked by local HGV drivers to help them campaign for an increase in the HGV speed on the A9, from 40mph to 50mph. I was looking into this issue at the time in any case and on speaking to other users of the A9, it became apparent that slow speed in relation to HGV's were causing tailbacks and frustration".

He continued “ We thought that if it were possible to increase HGV speeds, this may reduce frustration to other road users and reduce some of the risks being taken by drivers. Working with partners, including local HGV driver and campaign organiser Conor Mckenna, we launched the campaign on 3 December 2012 at Inverness Caledonian Thistle stadium. Thereafter many other organisations came on board and after many discussions with the Scottish Government and Police Scotland, it was agreed that the increase in HGV speeds on the A9 would be piloted, commencing in 2014”.

“There is no doubt that speed is a contributory factor in road collisions on the A9, but other factors come into play and the Police do not have a causation code for collisions caused by or related to frustration, so we have no way of checking how many of these collision were actually caused by this emotion”.

“ I would say that in a fair number of cases, drivers start to get agitated when travelling at a slow speed for long periods of time and they then take a risk and undertake an action that is dangerous. Driver behaviour is the issue we need to address”.

In conclusion he said “ I will watch this pilot with interest to see if it will make any difference. However, this initiative and pilot coincides with the average speed cameras activation day, so it may be more difficult to determine which is having the bigger impact. When all said and done, making our roads safer is the aim of us all” .