Highland Council Leader Welcomes Start of A9 Dualling

12th September 2015

Councillor Margaret Davidson (Independent), Leader of the Highland Council today welcomed the commencement of work to start dualling the A9 which was formally launched today by Keith Brown MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities.

This first phase of work is the five-mile long section between Kincraig and Dalraddy which is due to be completed by summer 2017.

Councillor Davidson said: "We've campaigned for many years to see the A9 dualled and so I very much welcome the commencement of this work. This is a good start but we need to ensure the remaining stretches are completed as quickly as possible. It's hugely important for us to see the A9 dualled as it improves our link to the rest of Scotland, helps the economy and promotes safety, so we will work with the Scottish Government to see if we can shorten the time it will take to complete this project."

Construction starts on first section between Kincraig to Dalraddy.

Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, Keith Brown has announced that the Scottish Government flagship infrastructure investment project - the £3 billion A9 Dualling programme - has reached a major milestone today.

The ambitious programme will see around 80 miles of upgraded road being delivered between Perth and Inverness by 2025, with work beginning today on the five-mile long section between Kincraig and Dalraddy. This is expected to be complete by summer 2017.

Mr Brown said:"With the official opening of the Borders Railway and now the ground-breaking of work on the A9 this has been a historic week for transport infrastructure in Scotland.

"It is no understatement to say that we are marking an important milestone in what will be one of the largest and most challenging infrastructure projects in Scotland's history.

"I am very proud that the Scottish Government is delivering this major upgrade and, in the weeks and months ahead, people will now see work on the ground as the road progresses.

"When this ambitious programme is complete, enormous economic and social benefits will be felt by communities along the length of the road, and beyond. Today sees the first spade in the ground, with work beginning in earnest to see the programme through to a successful finish.

“Shorter term safety improvements for the A9 are already delivering positive benefits for the safety of the route, with preparation work on further dualling work also now starting to bear real fruit.

“With nearly three quarters of a million tonnes of excavation work to be carried out on this section here at Kincraig alone, we are at the start of a long journey to deliver the entire programme. But we are committed to this programme and we will remain focussed to ensure this work which is now at the hard end of construction, is seen through to a successful conclusion."

The £35 million Kincraig-Dalraddy contract includes upgrading a five mile stretch of single carriageway to dual carriageway and will be carried out by a joint venture of Wills Bros Civil Engineering and John Paul Construction.

Delivering the project requires over 700,000 tonnes of excavation and will see the Contractor lay over 18 hectares of new road carriageway, the equivalent of 25 full size football pitches.

A spokesperson for the Wills Bros / John Paul Joint Venture said:“We are delighted to see construction get underway on the A9 Kincraig to Dalraddy project and proud to have our Joint Venture at the forefront of this prestigious dualling programme.

“Whilst some disruption to road users is unavoidable we would like to thank in advance the driving public and local communities for their patience and co-operation while we deliver this first leg of the A9 dualling programme."

From Monday 21st September, traffic management will be in place on the A9 between Kincraig and Dalraddy with a 40mph speed restriction in operation.

Average speed cameras will be in operation on the A9 to enforce the reduced speed limit and to ensure a safe environment for drivers and road workers.

The construction period is 24 months with the dualled A9 between Kincraig and Dalraddy opening in summer 2017.

The A9 is a vital strategic route linking central Scotland to Inverness and the Highlands and Islands.

The Kincraig to Dalraddy project is the first section of the A9 to be dualled as part of the A9 Dualling Programme and comprises of a predominately on-line carriageway widening and pavement upgrade. Construction at the southern section of the project will run mainly in parallel to the west of the existing A9, before crossing over and providing widening to east of the A9 for the northern section of the project.

The project has four accommodation underpasses and one large culvert replacement.

The Scottish Government is working to connect Scotland's cities with a high quality transport system that will promote journey time reductions and improve operational effectiveness.

The A9 Dualling Perth to Inverness Programme will bring benefits to road users, communities and businesses who live along or use this important route between central Scotland and the Highlands and Islands.

Wills Bros Civil Engineering and John Paul Construction is a joint venture of two building and civil engineering companies, both based in Ireland and operating throughout the UK and Ireland.

The £3 billion complex and challenging programme is the largest transport project in Scotland's history.

For more information on the A9 Dualling Programme visit http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/project/a9-dualling-perth-inverness

For more information on the Kincraig-Dalraddy project visit http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/project/a9-kincraig-dalraddy