THE Scottish Government has confirmed that the new deadline for dualling the A9 is 2035.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Mairi McAllan updated Holyrood on Wednesday on the delivery plan for dualling works for the remaining sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness.
Former transport minister Jenny Gilruth (below) had told MSPs in February this year that work to upgrade the road to dual-carriageway in its entirety by the original 2025 completion date was “simply unachievable”.
The statement also comes after papers released to Holyrood’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee, which is carrying out an inquiry into the dualling programme, revealed ministers were warned two years ago that the work could take until 2034 and cost almost £7.2 billion – more than double the original £3 billion estimate.
Transport Secretary Mairi McAllan told Holyrood the cost had risen from an original estimated £3bn to £3.7bn.
While delivery of the full dualling of the A9 is being planned for 2035, McAllan also said sections would open progressively with nearly 50% of the road expected to be dualled by the end of 2030, and 85% by the end of 2033.
The Scottish Government said they were in dialogue with three contractors, with a contract award for the first section between Tomatin and Moy expected in Summer 2025 and work completed by the end of 2027.
McAllan told MSPs that she was aware that her announcement was “keenly anticipated” and that progress was non “at the pace we would have liked”.
She added: “However, the A9 is the backbone of Scotland. It must be safe, reliable and resilient as possible – and that’s what the Scottish Government will deliver.
"The approach that I outlined today foregrounds certainty of delivery carefully balanced with factors such as industry capacity to deliver, the need to minimise disruption to road users and wider financial constraints.
"This Government is restating its commitment to dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness – with a concrete plan. The approach I have set out means that the Highlands can have confidence that the considerable benefits of A9 Dualling will be delivered in full.
"Now we have reached this point, there will be no let up. When construction starts on Tomatin to Moy next year, under this delivery programme, it should roll continually until the route between Perth and Inverness is fully dualled."
Transport Scotland has said that the total cost of the programme is now estimated at £3.7bn at April 2023 prices.
The Cabinet Secretary also announced that a new website is being launched for A9 Dualling in the new year and a registration page is now open for people to register for updates on the programme.
