Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - A87 and A887 (Vehicular Accidents)
The Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change (Stewart Stevenson): Complete data on the number of road accidents that occurred on the A87 and A887 in December 2007 and January 2008 have not yet been returned to the Scottish Government by the Northern Constabulary. I am happy to write to the member with the requested information, when it becomes available. Provisional information is expected in the next four weeks.
John Farquhar Munro: I am sure that the minister agrees that the dangerous road conditions on the A87 and the A887 require more than just a parliamentary question, but I asked the question because I have not received a reply from his office to my request for a meeting—maybe a reply will come.
At least 27 accidents have happened on the roads, and locally the number is thought to be nearer to 40. I drive that stretch of road weekly—
The Presiding Officer: Ask a question, please.
John Farquhar Munro: Yes, sir.
I do not know whether the problem is a lack of maintenance or the new brine treatment, but the road is much more dangerous and if nothing is done there could be a fatal accident in winter. What does the minister's department intend to do to address an obvious problem?
Stewart Stevenson: I have figures for December 2006 to January 2007—a year ago—which suggest that there were one serious and eight slight accidents on the A87 and that no accident was recorded for the A887. I am uncertain whether those figures are at odds with the figure of 27 to which the member referred, but I will be happy to hear from him if he thinks that our numbers are inadequate.
We put on the roads a mixture of 40 per cent brine and dry salt. Modern research shows that that is the most effective way of ensuring that we keep our roads clear. Until I hear to the contrary, we are likely to continue with the new way of distributing brine mixed with salt on our roads.
