Better links between Inverness and Edinburgh have been proposed

The Scottish government backed down over its opposition to trams after suffering its first major Holyrood defeat on Wednesday.

Highland SNP MSP Rob Gibson and Dave Thompson said it will mean less money for other road and rail improvements.

A 15-year plan was recently drawn up setting out hopes for major upgrades.

Mr Gibson accused Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative MSPs of selling the Highlands and Islands short following their backing of the city's trams project and Edinburgh Airport Rail Link (Earl).

The scheme was voted through by 81 votes to 47 after parties joined forces against the SNP.

Mr Gibson said: "By voting for the Earl and trams in Edinburgh they have taken the biggest projects which are going to concentrate on the capital and denude the chance of having major transport infrastructure in the north."

A9 upgrade

He said the result of the vote was particularly bad news for projects proposed by Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership in Scotland (Hitrans).

The statutory body agreed a strategy aimed at improving road, rail, air and ferry links over the next 15 years in March.

It included upgrades to the A9, A96 and Inverness-Edinburgh rail line.

The first phase of improvements would cost �168m.