By Gavin Musgrove

Copyright inverness-courier

A9 safety campaigners have called for double solid white no overtaking lines at an accident blackspot on the arterial road following the latest tragedy.

Police have confirmed two people died in the two-vehicle crash on the A9 just south of the Slochd pass yesterday morning.

The incident happened at around 7.10am and involved a white Ford Fiesta car and a white Vauxhall Vivaro van.

The occupants of the car, a 45-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man, were both pronounced dead at the scene.

They have not yet been named by police.

The cause of the accident near to the landmark German Soldier’s Head is not known at this time.

Several of the most deadly crashes on the A9 have occurred on the sweeping stretch of A9 south of the Slochd-Tomatin dual carriageway.

A9 Dual Action Group spokeswoman Laura Hänsler said: “Yet again two innocent people have paid the ultimate price for travelling on the A9, that being with their lives.

“Other casualties are involved. Several families live have been irreparably changed forever.

“This can not wait on dualling to be complete. Our communities can’t wait.

“I urge the authorities to immediately carry out works to double white line the A9 between Slochd dual carriageway to south Slochd Beag Bridge.”

Fergus Ewing (Independent) MSP for Inverness and Nairn including Strathspey, said: “A further two people have lost their lives in an incident on the A9, and it is reported that there are other casualties.

“Another two families will be devastated and our thoughts are with them.

“I shall seek to press the Scottish Government Cabinet Secretary today in Holyrood to ask if further safety measures will be implemented, and again seek a faster timetable for delivery of the long promised dualling.

“Laura Hansler has suggested the painting of double white lines at a key stretch of road at Slochd, and surely such obvious measures at points where fatal incidents recur must be taken

“The timetable of 2035 is far too long, and industry assures me the work could be done more swiftly if a more industry friendly procurement process was used.

“Again I will press the Cabinet Secretary on this, and I believe that there is cross party support amongst the main parties for this accelerated programme.”

Inverness residents David McPherson (68), Elza McPherson (64), and two-year-old Harris Cochrane were killed in an road accident close to the Slochd pass on July 5, 2022.

Three adults and a one-year-old boy were killed on the same stretch of the A9 in July 2008.

The victims were Guido Coffeng, 35, and baby son Naut, along with David and Juliet Oswald, (71 and 68), from Fife.

In September 2022, Rothiemurchus’ Philippa Grant (73) the Countess of Dysart, was killed when her Audi A4 collided with a coach further south on the road by the Slochd.

The victims in yesterday’s accident have not been named.

The two male occupants of the van were taken to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness for treatment and later discharged.

The road was closed until shortly after 2.45pm to allow for an investigation at the scene.

Sergeant Chris Donaldson of the Highland and Islands Road Policing Unit said: “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of both people who died.

“Our investigation to establish what led to this collision is ongoing and we would urge anyone with information or dashcam footage which would assist our enquiry to get in touch.

“Anyone who can help is asked to call 101, quoting reference 0441 of September 15, 2025.”

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