The Scottish Nationalist Member of the Scottish Parliament, Fergus Ewing, says that with planned building works to take place in the northeast of the country, “it makes no sense” for Transport Scotland staff to travel 168 miles from Edinburgh to Inverness and back to work on projects.

Writing in the Herald Newspaper, Mr Ewing says the lion’s share of the total Scottish spend on capital projects between now and 2035 will be on dualling the A9 (pictured) and the A96 – at least from Inverness to Auldearn including the Nairn bypass. “It will be, at long last, the Highlands’ turn,” he writes.

He continues: “In the campaign to dual both roads, I have over the years met Transport Scotland several times in Inverness and Nairn.

“The staff usually either drive up from Glasgow and back on the same day or have to stay over in hotels. That does not seem a practical or effective way of doing their work. And moreover, It’s surely sensible that if most of their spend is to be in the Highlands, they deliver the projects by relocating some key staff from Glasgow to the Highlands. I do not call for additional staff, but rather that those working on our projects should be relocated and based here.

The present boss appeared to agree that this is something that she will consider, though I did not detect unbounded enthusiasm! I assured her that they would be very welcome. I will also write to the cabinet secretary to press for this to be done.”

(Picture – Transport Scotland)