A9 dualling project
 Dualling work in 2021 between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam, the second section of the scheme. | |
| Location | Scotland (Perth to Inverness) |
|---|---|
| Proposer | Transport Scotland |
| Project website | https://www.transport.gov.scot/projects/a9-dualling-perth-to-inverness/ |
| Status | In procurement [a] |
| Type | Upgrade to dual carriageway |
| Cost estimate | £3 billion[1] |
| Start date | 2015 |
| Completion date | 2035 (initially 2025) |
In 2011, Transport Scotland has envisioned a plan to upgrade the remaining 90 miles (145 km) of the A9, a trunk road in Scotland, between Perth and Inverness from a single carriageway to a dual carriageway. This means that the road should be widened from one to two lanes per direction (two to four lanes total), and will also have a central reservation. It also means an increase in speed for cars and motorcycles from 60 mph to 70 mph (96 km/h to 112 km/h).
A dual carriageway allows drivers to overtake safely as they do not have to meet oncoming traffic and since a crash barriers are provided on the central reservation, this removes the risk of a head-on collision. As most of the A9 is currently a single carriageway, drivers may have to overtake heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) and other slow-moving vehicles as they are limited to 50mph, which is 10 mph (16 km/h) lower than the speed limit for cars and motorcycles. The project started in September 2015 with the hope to finish it in ten years time, but delays to the project meant that it would not be finished by the original deadline.
History
[edit]Early upgrades
[edit]The 138 mi (222 km) section between Bridge of Allan and Inverness, via Perth, was substantially rebuilt during the 1970s and 80s, but it follows essentially the same route except where it bypasses towns and villages instead of running through their centres. Between Perth and Inverness, the road has been dubbed Killer A9,[2] because of accidents and fatalities where dual-carriageway sections merge into a single-carriageway - the principal cause being motorists driving at excessive speeds to overtake lines of slower-moving vehicles before the dual carriageway ends. Dangerous overtaking manoeuvres on the long single-carriageway stretches of the road are also common causes of accidents, as are the non-grade separated junctions along the northern sections, where drivers make a right turn across the opposing traffic flow.[3]
.jpg?lang=en)
The most significant alteration of the A9 route was the realignment of the route north from Inverness, crossing the Moray Firth via the Kessock Bridge, cutting through the Black Isle and back across the Cromarty Firth. This shortened the route by 14 mi (23 km), bypassing Beauly, Muir of Ord and Dingwall. Construction of the Kessock Bridge began in 1976 and it was completed in 1982.[4]
Since 2007, the Scottish Government has given serious consideration to converting the entire Perth-Inverness section to dual carriageway with more grade separated junctions, with the initial estimated cost at £600 million.[5] In late 2008, the Scottish Government's transport plan for the next 20 years was announced. It brought forward planned improvements to the A9 in an attempt to stimulate the economy and protect jobs.[6] This included a commitment to full dualling of the road between Perth and Inverness.[7] Work costing a total of £8.5 million was undertaken at Moy, Carrbridge and Bankfoot. Northbound overtaking lanes were created and the carriageway was reconstructed at both Moy and Carrbridge. Junction improvements were also made at Moy and at the Ballinluig junction, south of Pitlochry.[6][8]
Speed cameras
[edit].jpg?lang=en)
In July 2013, the Scottish Government announced a plan to install average speed cameras on the A9 between Perth and Inverness. This has been undertaken with an aim to reduce accidents and fatalities on the road, and was the second permanent average speed camera scheme in Scotland.[9] They work by measuring the time it takes to drive between two cameras. Simultaneously, an increased speed limit for heavy goods vehicles from 40 mph (65 km/h) to 50 mph (80 km/h) was introduced to help mitigate driver frustration. This happened before the speed limit for HGVs would then apply to England and Wales.[10] Both became operational in October 2014.
The A9 Safety Group claim that the cameras have had a "positive influence" on road users, with the number of drivers breaking the speed limit by over 10 mph (16 km/h) decreasing by 97%.[11] Improvements to safety include at least 40% reduction in fatalities, and this has been attributed, at least in part, to a reduction in speeding, from 1 in 3 vehicles to just 1 in 15.[12] The average speed cameras may be removed after the A9 dualling project is done.
Construction
[edit]Announcement
[edit]In November 2011, the Scottish Government announced that it would upgrade the entire road from Perth to Inverness to dual carriageway.[13] The design contract was split into three lots with Lot 1 (Glengarry to Dalraddy) awarded to a CH2MHill/Fairhurst joint venture in April 2014.[14] Lot 2 (Pass of Birnam to Glengarry) was awarded to Jacobs in August 2014[15] and Lot 3 was awarded to an Atkins/Mouchel joint venture in December 2014.[16]
Completed sections
[edit]
Award of the construction contract for a preliminary section (outwith Lots 1 to 3) of the £3 billion project was awarded in June 2015,[1]. Work began on the first 5 mi (8 km) section between Kincraig and Dalraddy (located just south of Aviemore) in September 2015.[17] After a slight delay, this section was opened to traffic two years later on 30 September 2017.[18] It is an isolated stretch of dual carriageway (i.e., this section isn't an extension of an existing dual carriageway or something that fills the gap, as was done for the second and third section down below). A 2+1 road section (also known as WS2+1) just of the first section was removed due to the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) CD 109 requirements of having a minimum of 2km of single carriageway in between, as well as an existing bridge in the way.[19]
The second section of the project was the 6 mile (10 km) section between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam, the first section of what was single carriageway just north of Perth. After having the £96 million contract awarded ti Balfour Beatty in autumn 2018,[20] construction works began in February 2019.[21]. This section was scheduled to finish in spring 2021. However, like the Kincraig to Dalraddy section, it also experienced a slight delay meaning that this section was finished on August 2021 with off-carriageway works to finish by 2022.[22] The first two schemes combined meant that Transport Scotland has converted 11 miles (17 km) of single carriageway to dual carriageway.
Proposed sections
[edit]Since 2022, no sections of the A9 were either upgraded or under construction. This has also occurred between September 2017 and February 2019 meaning that no major works were also carried out in the whole of 2018.
The third section (which hasn't started construction as of late 2023) is likely going to be the section between Tomatin and Moy, which is also 6 miles long.[23][24] The contract should be awarded to Balfour Beatty in summer 2024 with construction to last around three years.[25][26] Some preparation works to this section include some trees being cut down and a new railway bridge on the Highland Main Line, which were done in 2021 and 2022, ahead of the main construction work[27][28]
In April 2024, Transport Scotland began procurement for the next stage for the River Tay Crossing (Jubilee Bridge) to Ballinluig project (5 miles). This involved publishing a Prior Information Notice for a £155 million contract to complete the new section.[29] Initial ground survey and borehole samples took place for the section in 2020.[30]
Table
[edit]If only the year are present, it means that construction should start or finish by the end of that year.
| Section | Status | Construction start | Construction end |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kincraig to Dalraddy | Complete | September 2015[17] | September 2017[18] |
| Luncarty to Pass of Birnam | Complete | February 2019[21] | August 2021[31] |
| Tomatin to Moy | In procurement | 2024 | 2027 |
| Tay Crossing to Ballinluig | In preparation | 2025[32] | 2028[32] |
| Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing | In preparation[32] | 2028[32] | 2032[32] |
The other seven sections are marked as 'in preparation'. Source:[33]
Delays
[edit]A study in 2016 found that the dualling project would cost more to construct than it would bring in, including wider economic benefits.[34]
The full scheme was originally scheduled for completion in 2025,[35][36][37] but in December 2023 this deadline was postponed by a decade to late 2035.[38] Only 11 out of 90 miles of the A9 were converted to dual carriageway from 2015 to 2023, meaning that the project is no where near complete.
In March 2024, the SNP MSP Fergus Ewing issued a public letter to the transport secretary Fiona Hyslop highlighting delays to the project and continuing fatalities on the road.[39]
Criticism
[edit]Plans to dual the A9 and A96 have been criticised by Patrick Harvie of the Scottish Greens, who has said the plans were incompatible with the Scottish Government's climate initiatives.[40] However, in 2024, the Transport Secretary of the Scottish Government stated that Net zero Scotland would still need roads and the government had committed to continuing with the dualling project.[41]
The A9 runs through the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie. Expanding the road here will destroy some of the battleground. Transport Scotland say dualling the road will have "some impact" on the site.[42]
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b "Major Milestone As A9 Dualling Construction Set To Get Underway | Transport Scotland". www.transportscotland.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ Maciver, Iain (19 July 2023). "Iain Maciver: Killer A9 should keep Scotland's politicians awake at night". Press and Journal. Retrieved 24 January 2024.
- ^ Duffy, Judith (25 March 2012). "Scotland's most dangerous roads". Herald Scotland. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ Brocklehurst, Steven (6 March 2014). "Life and death on the A9". BBC News (Scotland - Highlands & Islands). Archived from the original on 21 June 2015. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
- ^ "Full A9 upgrade 'to bring extra £300m into economy'". Inverness Courier. 2 November 2007. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ a b "A9 upgrades brought forward in bid to boost economy". Inverness Courier. 5 December 2008. Archived from the original on 31 January 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ Veitch, Kenneth; Fenton, Alexander (2009). Scottish Life and Society. Edinburgh: Donald. p. 464. ISBN 978-1-904607-88-5.
- ^ "The toll road: The dangers of driving the A9". The Scotsman. 21 November 2010. Archived from the original on 26 January 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2015.
- ^ "Average speed cameras for A9 from Dunblane to Inverness". BBC News (Scotland - Highlands & Islands). 26 July 2013. Archived from the original on 9 November 2018. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "HGV speed limits in the UK".
- ^ "A9 average speed cameras 'have reduced speeding'". BBC News. 26 January 2015. Archived from the original on 29 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- ^ "Comprehensive A9 performance data published". Scottish Government. 20 April 2018. Archived from the original on 9 October 2018. Retrieved 8 October 2018.
- ^ "Dualling of Perth to Inverness A9 to finish by 2025". BBC News (Scotland - Highlands & Islands). 29 November 2011. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "First multi-million pound A9 Dualling design contract awarded - Ground investigation work to get underway | Transport Scotland". www.transportscotland.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ "Another multi-million pound A9 dualling contract awarded | Transport Scotland". www.transportscotland.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ "Young People Jobs Boost From A9 Dualling Contracts | Transport Scotland". www.transportscotland.gov.uk. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 25 November 2015.
- ^ a b "Work begins on dualling A9 from Inverness to Perth". BBC News. 10 September 2015. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ a b "First new stretch of A9 dual carriageway opens". BBC News. 30 September 2017. Archived from the original on 1 October 2017. Retrieved 1 October 2017.
- ^ "CD 109 - Highway link design". standardsforhighways.co.uk.. The information for readers is located at para 6.4
- ^ "Transport Scotland set to award A9 Dualling: Luncarty to Pass of Birnam construction contract to Balfour Beatty | Transport Scotland". www.transport.gov.scot. Retrieved 9 July 2024.
- ^ a b "A9 dualling Luncarty to Birnam - traffic restrictions and overnight closures". Transport Scotland. 22 January 2019. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "A9 dualling: Milestone met on Luncarty to Pass of Birnam scheme". Ground Engineering. 4 June 2021. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Contractors shortlisted for delayed A9 Tomatin to Moy upgrade". BBC News. 28 November 2023. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "Major progress on design of Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing section of A9 Dualling programme". Transport Scotland. 20 December 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "New Tender opportunity launched for A9 Dualling: Tomatin to Moy Project". Transport Scotland. 5 September 2023. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Next milestone reached for A9 Dualling Programme". Transport Scotland. 9 July 2024.
- ^ Robertson, Lauren (14 February 2022). "Preparation for A9 dualling between Tomatin and Moy gets under way". Press and Journal (Scotland).
- ^ "Mole cuts through railway embankment at Lynebeg in Scottish Highlands". Network Rail. 31 August 2021.
- ^ "Next milestone for the A9 Dualling delivery plan". Transport Scotland. 16 April 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ Anagnostou, Georgios; Benardos, Andreas; Marinos, Vassilis P. (12 April 2023). Expanding Underground - Knowledge and Passion to Make a Positive Impact on the World. CRC Press. p. 1627. ISBN 978-1-000-95782-2.
- ^ "Luncarty to Pass of Birnam Overview". Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ a b c d e "Delivery Plan". a9dualling.scot. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "A9 Dualling Perth to Inverness". Transport Scotland. Retrieved 23 June 2024.
- ^ "The A9 dualling project – crucial for Scotland?". SPICe Spotlight | Solas air SPICe. 18 February 2020. Archived from the original on 13 March 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2021.
- ^ Candlish, June (16 June 2015). "First contract awarded to start dualling of the A9". The Press & Journal. Archived from the original on 25 November 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "A9 dualling Perth to Inverness". Transport Scotland. Archived from the original on 29 August 2015. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
- ^ "Work begins on dualling A9 from Inverness to Perth". BBC News. 10 September 2015. Archived from the original on 10 September 2015. Retrieved 10 September 2015.
- ^ "Delivery plan for remaining A9 dualling projects announced". Retrieved 27 December 2023.
- ^ "Multiple A9 deaths sparks furious letter from Fergus Ewing to the transport secretary". Inverness Courier. 28 March 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ Malik, Paul (12 February 2020). "Scottish Government told continuing to dual the A9 and A96 is at odds with its 'green' budget claims". The Courier. Archived from the original on 23 December 2020. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
- ^ "Net zero Scotland will still need roads, says minister". BBC News. 7 February 2024. Retrieved 8 July 2024.
- ^ "Campaigners fight plan to dual A9 at Killiecrankie Battlefield". BBC News. 13 January 2020. Archived from the original on 22 January 2020. Retrieved 27 February 2021.