Two dead as bus heading to RockNess collides with van on A9

Two men have died in a collision on the A9 between a van and a tourist bus heading to the RockNess music festival.

The driver and passenger of the van died as a result of the collision at Ralia, near Newtonmore in the Highlands, at about 3.45pm on Friday.

Northern Constabulary said the woman driving the bus, which was carrying 47 passengers from Edinburgh to RockNess, suffered serious injuries.

She was airlifted to hospital after being cut free by firefighters. Fourteen passengers were treated in Raigmore hospital in Inverness for injuries which police said were not life-threatening. The rest were able to travel on to Inverness on another bus.

The crash was one of two that happened within minutes of each other on the main road to the Highlands, causing long tailbacks.

The other collision, which involved four cars, happened at Auchterarder in Perthshire. Motorists were warned to expect long delays and diversions from the Broxden roundabout.

There are also delays at Dunkeld due to road works.

Motorists were warned to expect long delays and diversions south of the Broxden roundabout and at Newtonmore.

Highlands and Islands fire service sent crews from Inverness, Kingussie and Newtonmore and used cutting gear to free casualties.


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A spokesman for Tayside Police said the force was called out after 3pm on Friday to a crash on the A9 at Auchterarder southbound.

Road safety campaigners have called for the dualling of the A9 north of Perth. Figures show 88 people lost their lives on the A9 between 2004 and 2010, making it Scotland's deadliest road.

Campaigners say one reason is that the road frequently switches from dual to single carriageway between Perth and Inverness.

The latest crash comes on the same day two lorry drivers who died in a crash on the same road at Dalnamein a week ago were identified.

Tayside Police confirmed the men were Alexander Russell, 37, of Moddiesburn, Glasgow, and John Sommerville, 34, of Carluke.

They died in the crash which happened at around 2.25am on Friday, June 1.

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