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‘Market changes’ blamed for further delays to A9 dualling blueprint

The A9 looking towards Broom of Dalreoch, near Aberuthven. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson.
The A9 looking towards Broom of Dalreoch, near Aberuthven. Image: Steve MacDougall/DC Thomson.

Transport chiefs have blamed “market changes” as the excuse for long delays in publishing a blueprint for the long-awaited A9 dualling project.

A strategy was supposed to be published in summer 2021 – but almost a year and a half later it is still not complete.

The strategy is expected to outline a new timetable and financing proposals for completing the long-awaited revamp of one of Scotland’s most dangerous roads.

But roads bosses say they are now assessing the “impact of market changes on factors such as borrowing costs and price inflation” – problems which erupted under Liz Truss’s disastrous short term as prime minister.

Only two out of 11 sections of the road between Perth and Inverness have been constructed so far, despite a 2025 completion date.

In the past year alone 12 people have died on the route, the highest death toll on the road for more than a decade.

Liam Kerr, Tory transport spokesman, said the SNP Government is “trying to pull the wool over people’s eyes” with “another excuse”.

Impact of ‘market changes’

Roads agency Transport Scotland says the government already invested around £431 million delivering the programme.

A spokesman for the roads agency said it will update parliament as soon as this work is completed but said the impact of “market changes” has to be assessed.

He said: “This is a complex exercise which looks at a number of factors including how the programme can be delivered most efficiently by the industry within the original cost estimate, whilst minimising disruption to road users and helping to support economic recovery post-Covid.

Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth. Image: Steve Brown/DC Thomson.

“As part of this exercise, in light of recent fluctuations in the economic environment, work is also under way to assess the impact of market changes on factors such as borrowing costs and price inflation to inform evaluation of the potential procurement approaches available.”

A review of the A9 dualling scheme, as well as a similar project the upgrade the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen, was first suggested in 2019.

It was confirmed early in 2021 that ministers intended to “take stock” in the wake of the pandemic.

Mr Kerr, who is also an MSP for the north-east region, said: “Just like the A96, we are seeing this SNP-Green government shift the goalposts on another major roads project despite almost 120 deaths occurring on the A9 since the upgrade was promised in 2009.”

Spate of A9 fatal crashes

In October, an 83-year-old woman died after a crash on the A9 at Blackford in Perthshire.

Earlier that month, 64-year-old George Norris was killed after a collision with two other vehicles near Kingussie and a man and a woman died after their car collided with a lorry near Birnam. 

Tragically, eight people, including a two-year-old toddler, died on the 25-mile stretch of the trunk road between Slochd and Newtonmore.

Promises

Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth recently said the government remains committed to delivering on the pledge to dual the route.

The SNP politician also confirmed she would look at what short-term interventions can be taken between now and the end of the dualling project.

Last week, the government approved work to dual part of the A9 through land known as the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie.

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