The Rail Freight Group is calling for more investment in the Perth-Inverness railway, parallel to the A9, arguing that moving freight onto rail would reduce the risk of accidents involving heavy lorries.
The move follows the news that average speed cameras are being introduced to the A9, to reduce accidents.
“The introduction of speed cameras will do much to cut the accident toll on the A9, but it’s important that the Scottish Government goes further to reduce the volume of HGVs on the road, said RFG’s Scottish representative, David Spaven.
“HGVs are disproportionately involved in fatal accidents, and moving freight by rail is vastly safer.
“The Perth-Inverness railway is still two-thirds single-track and there is limited capacity for additional freight and passenger traffic, so a substantial upgrade is essential.”
The RFG said its biggest worry was that full A9 dualling would lead to freight traffic switching back from rail to the A9, which Spaven said was “an outcome nobody except road hauliers would wish for”.
