Jackie Baillie has called for urgent upgrades to the A82 after the death of a biker last week.

The Dumbarton MSP has since been contacted by a resident concerned about the state of the road and worried that it is dangerous for motorists and bikers.

A Freedom of Information request which was published last year showed that out of all of Scotland’s trunk roads, the A82 had the third highest number of accidents causing personal injury.

The figures, which showed incidents including fatal crashes to those resulting in mild injury from the start of 2000 until June last year. Only the A9, part of which is currently being made a dual carriageway, and the A90 registered more accidents during that period.

An upgrade programme for the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan is currently being consulted on while plans to overhaul the A83 are also ongoing.

However Ms Baillie is worried that there will be more deaths before the road is upgraded.

Meanwhile, figures released to the Scottish Labour Deputy Leader also show the extent of the problem on the stretch of the A82 between the Erskine Bridge and the A83 at Tarbet.

In the last five years, there have been 11 fatalities including three in 2021 alone.

Jackie Baillie said: “My greatest sympathies go out to the family of Phillip Buchan following his tragic death last week.

“It is always devastating to hear of someone losing their life on the road especially someone so young and with so much to look forward to.

“I am extremely concerned that the A82 has a history of accidents going back to the start of the millennium. It is a dangerous road and needs to be made a priority by the SNP Government.

“Some of the problems with the road, which are not easy and quick to fix, make it dangerous, but flooding on the route and dreadful potholes make the problems even worse.

“Considering the tourism opportunities and the popularity of staycations rising, it is imperative that we make sure people who want to enjoy the beautiful Loch Lomondside area and beyond can do so safely.

“I urge the Scottish Government to look at any measures which can be taken this side of summer to make this area safer including improving signage and fixing potholes.

“We cannot face another year when people are losing their lives on the A82 when there is action that can be taken to make the route safer.

“I am also worried that the stretch of the A82 which runs through Dumbarton, the Vale of Leven and Balloch, has seen so many deaths within the last five years, notably three in the last year alone.

“These figures represent people who are missed and we must ensure we are doing all we can to stop more families suffering from this heartbreak.”