Views

Urgency on Highland transport issues? - for the Strathspey & Badenoch Herald

MUCH has been said in recent weeks about the importance of upgrading the Highlands' transport infrastructure as an urgent priority.

Locally, we have long been campaigning for improvements to the A9 and speeding up our rail services to the Central Belt.

I have long argued that what is needed is a long-term strategy for progressively dualling the A9. The messages coming from the new government in Edinburgh are mixed.

On the one hand, the Highlands' MSPs of all parties make the case for the A9. On the other hand, the First Minister's spokesman tells the press it is "not an immediate priority".

More worryingly, in last week's transport debate the new Transport Minister was asked to list his alternative transport priorities, and he did not mention the A9 or indeed any other Highland transport project.

We need some clarity on this - but for those of us in the Highlands campaigning for these improvements, there must be no let-up in our persuasive efforts. We are going to have to campaign as hard as we ever have before.

That point was eloquently made at the Kincraig Village Fete on Saturday. The Scottish Executive is proposing to install new two-plus-one overtaking lanes on the stretch of the A9 that goes past the village.

The community council is seeking local views, and there are concerns about whether well-used underpasses will be properly upgraded.

This investment will bring a welcome improvement certainly. But the question has to be asked as to why this phase of work does not bring that stretch straight up to dual carriageway standard.

If there is to be a long-term programme of investment to dual the road, why not start now at Kincraig?

All change at the top

SO GORDON Brown has now become Prime Minister, with a great deal of fanfare. But how much has really changed?

Tony Blair's last Prime Minister's Questions showed all of the aspects of his 10 years in power. As one of the great political performers, his presentational skills were on show for all to see; but nor could he escape the disastrous decision to invade Iraq that will define his time in office.

For all Gordon Brown's talk of change, he has been the second most powerful figure in government over the last 10 years, and he shares responsibility for the mistakes as well as the successes. Whatever area of policy we are talking about, Mr Brown's fingerprints are as evident at the scene of the crime as Tony Blair's.

Whatever new direction Mr Brown might seek to take – or to make it look like he is taking – it is wrong that the British people have had no say whatsoever in the change of Prime Minister.

Labour's majority in the House of Commons was won with the support of only 35% of the vote – hardly a ringing endorsement – and none of these people voted for Gordon Brown as Prime Minister.

Britain needs a change of direction, not just a change at the top. I hope that Mr Brown will seek a mandate of his own from the British people by calling a General Election.

Strath is threatened

FOR Badenoch and Strathspey, the early signs from the new Highland Council are worrying.

There seems to be a trend towards centralisation in Inverness and a lack of consideration for the distinctive needs of the local area.

A few weeks ago local councillor Stuart Black put forward a proposal to allocate a fairer share of 'discretionary' resources to four-member wards – those with larger populations, of which Badenoch and Strathspey has one of the largest. This was defeated by the SNP-led coalition.

Then last week we learned that the new administration was to break with the tradition that all of the Badenoch and Strathspey local councillors should be appointed to the Cairngorms National Park board.

Local member Gregor Rimell was dumped in favour of an SNP councillor from outside the area. I find this decision deeply worrying.

Setting to one side the sour taste of vindictiveness that it leaves, it seems that the new council administration believes that its loyal followers know better the needs of the strath than those who are elected by local people.

The council convener, Sandy Park, knows the importance attached to local connections on the park board as he has served on it for the past couple of years.

I hope that he will use his powerful position to have this decision reversed immediately, and assure local people that this centralising trend will be nipped in the bud.

Posted on: 04/07/2007