Plan to fully dual A96 could be abandoned in favour of 'better value' proposal

Plans to fully dual the A96 carriageway from Inverness to Aberdeen could be abandoned in favour of an alternative proposal that could prove better value for money.

The Scottish Government announced its intention to dual the trunk road, which links several communities including Nairn, Forres, Elgin, Fochabers, Keith, Huntly, Inverurie and Kintore, in December 2011.

Transport Scotland has now reviewed the dualling programme and produced a new plan that they believe will deliver the best value for money.

The cost of full dualling east of Nairn to Aberdeen is estimated in the range of £2.5bn to £5 bn (at 2022 prices) which compares with a range of £501m to £1bn for the refined package

It comes after the Scottish Government announced that the target to finish the project to dual the A9 from Inverness to Perth would be delayed by ten years.

As part of the proposal, bypasses for Elgin and Moray would be created, junctions would be revamped, and an “electric corridor” would be created to promote alternative refuelling and a shift towards sustainable transport.

As it has already received ministerial consent, the dualling of the A96 from Inverness to Nairn and a bypass of Nairn are separate from the wider A96 review process.

The review outlines that full dualling would result in a “much larger increase in vehicle kilometres travelled and emissions” and “would have major negative impacts on the environment as the scale of physical works required.”

Under the latest proposals, improvements would be made to rail services, whereas full dualling “would not significantly improve access to public transport.” It could, however, slightly reduce traffic and congestion in towns, leading to “minor” improvements in public transport travel times.

The report outlines that full dualling would have “significant adverse environmental effects and would outweigh any benefits to communities”.

While dualling would reduce accidents overall, the new package is said to reduce accidents in specific locations.

Transport Scotland has said that the scale of infrastructure and physical works required for the refined package would be “much less significant” than that required for full dualling.

Speaking after making a statement to Parliament, cabinet secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: “The Scottish Government’s position has not changed – we remain in favour of full dualling of the A96. However, it is important local people, businesses and communities are given the opportunity to help inform the government’s final decision on how to take forward improvements to the A96 Corridor.

“That decision will also have to balance the demands of the challenging economic climate and the climate emergency.

“Since we announced our intention to fully dual the A96 in 2011, a lot has changed, including 14 years of austerity, and ongoing cost pressures that have impacted the Scottish budget.

“We also agreed to undertake a corridor review, a lengthy and complex process, which has taken longer than initially anticipated because of the huge interest and engagement from the public.

“These delays now mean that we will not complete dualling of the A96 by the original anticipated timeline of 2030.

“However, we will continue to make progress with the statutory procedures already completed and work underway to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering dualling of the key section of road between Inverness and Nairn.

“No decisions on the final outcome from this Review will be determined until we hear from the public and consider their views from this 12 week consultation. People have until 21 February 2025 to get involved.”

The public is being asked to share their views on the A96 Corridor Review proposal online.