First Minister to travel north to see work on A9

First Minister John Swinney is to visit the Tomatin – Moy section of the A9 in the Highlands on Monday as major construction work continues to change the vital trunk road into a dual carriageway.

During the visit, the First Minister will meet Balfour Beatty and Transport Scotland staff who are leading the work to construct this section of the A9. He will also be shown progress on the construction of the new Moy rail bridge over the Highland Main Line. The new bridge will replace the existing 1884 structure, showcasing Scotland’s capability in delivering modern, integrated road and rail infrastructure to improve connectivity and resilience across the country.

The Scottish Government says dualling the A9 is a priority, and that the First Minister’s visit highlights the positive construction progress being made, the complexity and scale of work being completed on site, and the impact for local communities and businesses as a result of the £3.9 billion investment.

First Minister John Swinney said:“The A9 is one of the main arteries through Scotland, providing a vital transport link for families, communities, businesses, tourists and more.

“Dualling the A9 is a priority for my government and with our rolling programme of continuous construction in the corridor, backed by £3.9 billion of Scottish Government investment, opportunities are being created for local businesses and a stream of job and training prospects for the people and communities served by this vital route.

“As momentum builds and construction ramps up at both the north and south ends of the corridor, I’m looking forward to seeing the visible, tangible progress being made on the longest road in Scotland. The continued progress should give the businesses and residents of the Highlands confidence that realising the benefits of dualling the A9 remains a priority for myself and this Government.”

The £3.7 billion project is one of Scotland’s largest transport infrastructure programmes, and when complete will upgrade 83 miles of single carriageway between Perth and Inverness.