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Angry lorry drivers pledge to cause ‘maximum disruption’ on A9

Angry lorry drivers pledge to cause ‘maximum disruption’ on A9

Campaigning lorry drivers have pledged to cause “maximum disruption” on Scotland’s main arterial routes.

Rolling roadblocks have been proposed for some of the busiest times of the year in a bid to force the Scottish Government to raise the HGV speed limit.

Although a pilot project is currently being considered for the A9 between Perth and Inverness, a date has yet to be set.

Lorry drivers are anxious to have the speed limit increased from 40mph to 50mph before the introduction of average speed cameras.

Organiser Conor McKenna said he was “sick of waiting” and has now invited hundreds of hauliers from across the country to take part in the go-slows, with the first set to take place throughout December.

He told The Courier the protests could continue well into 2014, adding: “They are brushing us off, so it’s time we showed them we mean business.

“I’ve got a couple of hundred drivers involved and word is going round, so I expect it to snowball and get even bigger.

“If this doesn’t work, then we will just do it over the worst times of the year, like the Easter holidays and summer holidays.

“Public sympathy might wear thin, but you have to lose a few battles to win the war.”

During the protests, drivers will set off from various locations across the country and stick to the official speed limit of 40mph, which hauliers claim they are constantly pressured to exceed to keep traffic moving.

The worst affected routes, Mr McKenna anticipates, will be the A9 between Perth and Inverness and the A96 Inverness to Aberdeen road.

He added: “We want to make the Government understand the importance of raising the speed limit.

“I hope the public understands we aren’t doing this out of badness we’re doing it to benefit them because we don’t want them to be stuck behind us.”

Mr McKenna revealed he would only be willing to call off the protests if he is given a date for the A9 pilot.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “As stated previously, the A9 Safety Group, Ministers and Police Scotland have not ruled out the introduction of 50mph speed limits for HGVs in future…

“Further investigation work into the effects of increasing the HGV speed limit has been undertaken and the group is currently evaluating this.

“We recognise there have been some issues raised by stakeholders and MSPs, including around the decision to keep the current HGV speed limit when average speed cameras are introduced.

“The A9 Safety Group firmly believes that its co-ordinated programme of improvements will cut the number of accidents on the route in advance of and throughout the period of dualling.”