Transport Minister Derek Mackay has refused to make a U-turn on new A9 safety plans which were branded a “colossal waste of money” by campaigners.
Thousands backed a petition for a permanent footbridge at Gleneagles to help curb the area’s high accident toll.
Transport Scotland agreed to explore the possibility of creating a new crossing but later announced a package of measures, including electronic warning signs and wider pavements but no bridge.
Conservative MSP Liz Smith urged Mr Mackay to go back to the drawing board and come up with an alternative scheme.
He responded that a detailed assessment of the area, carried out by BEAR Scotland, indicated that the proposed £100,000 upgrade would be “most appropriate in this case”.
Mrs Smith said: “Like many local residents, I am disappointed that SNP ministers have failed to listen to the very many concerns being expressed that the current proposals will not make the road completely safe for pedestrians and cyclists.
“Sadly, the feeling amongst local residents I have spoken to is that the SNP Scottish Government seem to have proposed the cheapest option and that the proposals will do very little to make it safer for pedestrians crossing the A9.”
She added: “This is an extremely sensitive issue given that lives have been lost at this crossing and it was hoped that a solution would be found.”
A spokesman for Mr Mackay’s office said: “Liz Smith’s calls might have more credibility if they had not coincided with her party’s announcement to make a further £170 million cut to Scotland’s budget, on top of the massive 25% already cut from our capital budget since 2010.”
He added: “A thorough assessment of options to improve access for pedestrians and cyclists crossing the A9 at Gleneagles Station was carried out and the evidence suggests that the measures we are putting in place will be effective.”