Scotland on Sunday readers' letters: A9 road death figures should be seen in broader perspective

While the 2022 road death figures for the A9 are higher than the previous five years, they need to be seen in a broader perspective rather than just the result of a slowing of the dual carriageway project (Scotland on Sunday, December 4).

While 13 deaths are 13 too many, and importantly, equal significantly more bereaved families, they are still less than 10 per cent of road deaths across Scotland during 2021 where the historical long term trend is still down.

Road deaths in 2019-21 on the A9 were just one a year, significantly lower than for any other three year period, helped by the introduction of average speed cameras in 2014 which are proven to reduce speeding.

The increase in A9 deaths pales into insignificance compared to Scotland’s Covid deaths, around 40 to 50 per week now. Moreover, according to the ONS, an estimated 2.2 million across all ages in the UK are suffering serious effects of long Covid potentially for life. Many more than are suffering serious effects of road injuries.

All but one of this year's 13 deaths on the A9 between Perth and Inverness have been on single carriageway sections (Picture: John Devlin)

While not statistically significant, the 13 A9 deaths from eight incidents after three years of one death each remains baffling. One theory is that more confused drivers, having to switch more often from dual to single carriageway, overtake on single carriageway sections thinking it is duelled.

There is, however, nothing to prove this or any other theory. This year’s deaths may simply be a statistical anomaly and not the result of “unfulfilled pledges”. Let’s hope so.

Neil Anderson, Edinburgh

Golden opportunity

The allegations of financial mismanagement within the Archdiocese of St Andrews and Edinburgh make dismal reading for Catholics up and down the land. How is it possible for those charged with this responsibility to seek increased sums of money from parishioners at a time when so many are struggling with the basic necessities of life?

Moreover, according to the latest available accounts, the staggering reserves of assets and cash held by the archdiocese, running into millions of pounds, will not only comfortably cover the costs of the retired priests, it presents a unique opportunity for the archdiocese to demonstrate the heart of the Christian ethic: care for the poorest among us is where God is most readily found: “When you did it to the least of my brethren, you did it to me.”

Do we need reminding that burying gold in the ground is not what the Master wanted? He would want that money to be put to do good use in caring for the most vulnerable. There is an overwhelming argument for the Charity Commission to investigate but there is a more serious moral issue. It is time for the parishioners of St Andrews and Edinburgh to be given a much greater role in the management of the archdiocese. This is the fundamental issue that has caused the Catholic Church globally to be in the news for all the wrong reasons in the recent past.

Stuart Holden, Haddington

Not convinced

If I were a unionist and believed, as unionists claim, that the majority of Scottish people are not in favour of independence, then I would be clamouring for the UK government to allow a referendum to take place in order to shut us nationalists up for the foreseeable future. Does the fact they are not clamouring for this referendum perhaps indicate they are not as convinced of the outcome as they would like us to believe?

WA Ross, Aberdeen

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