Anger at SNP 'neglect' as road death toll soars

SCOTLAND “deserves better than the SNP’s neglect of dangerous roads”, as new figures showed that road deaths in 2024 were up by nearly 12% compared with 2023.

- By Ben Borland

SCOTLAND “deserves better than the SNP’s neglect of dangerous roads”, as new figures showed that road deaths in 2024 were up by nearly 12% compared with 2023.

The latest figures from Transport Scotland show that 161 people were killed on Scottish roads last year, with 24 in the North East and 18 in the Highlands.

There were 5,734 total road casualties, with 1,978 people seriously injured and 3,595 slightly injured in road collisions. This total included 495 child casualties, with three children killed and 160 seriously injured.

Opponents blamed the SNP government for “dragging its heels” in tackling some of the country’s most dangerous highways, such as the A9, the A96 and the A82.

Neil Alexander, the Lib Dem candidate for Inverness and Nairn,

Dangerous

said: “I don’t want to see any more families left without loved ones because the SNP government keeps dragging its heels in tackling dangerous trunk roads.