MacKay Praises A9 Scheme Progress
The Transport Minister visited a stretch between Kincraig and Dalraddy where ground investigation works have recently begun ahead of a £50 million contract being awarded to upgrade the 7.5km-long section.
Transport minister Derek Mackay has hailed another "milestone'' in the £3 billion plans to dual the main road north.
Mr Mackay visited a stretch of the A9 where ground investigation works have recently begun ahead of a £50 million contract being awarded to upgrade the 7.5km-long (four miles) section of the road between Kincraig and Dalraddy in the Highlands.
Construction work is expected to start on the stretch this summer, with Mr Mackay saying it would "mark the beginning of a series of major upgrades'' on the road.
The Scottish Government has pledged to convert the A9 to dual carriageway between Perth and Inverness, though the work is not due to be finished until 2025 due to the scale and complexity of the scheme.
In a bid to improve safety on the road, average speed cameras were installed along much of it last year - with figures earlier this week showing a decline in speeding after they were switched on.
Mr Mackay said: "Making the A9 safer is our key priority as work to upgrade Scotland's longest trunk road progresses - with one of our safety measures already showing positive changes to driver behaviour.
"The first data sets have been published this week since average speed cameras were installed and we have noted overall speeding has reduced, with excessive speeding down by 97%.
"Journey-time reliability has also improved and hauliers are reporting significant reductions in their journey times.
"These improvements should be welcomed and in addition to these safety measures, we are the first government to make the £3 billion commitment to dual the A9 from Perth to Inverness which will further improve the safety record of this road."
Mr Mackay said he was "proud" that the SNP Government at Holyrood had been the first administration to make dualling the A9 a priority, adding: "I am delighted to see ground investigation work under way ahead of construction starting this summer.
"After years of talk about the A9 upgrade, regular road users will soon see that investment being delivered.''
Mr Mackay said the ground investigation work on the Kincraig to Dalraddy stretch would "give more detailed information for construction companies bidding to build this section of upgraded road''.
He added: "Construction work which is due to start this summer will mark the beginning of a series of major upgrades amounting to around 130km (80 miles) of new upgraded road.
"Despite a 26% cut to our capital budget by the UK Treasury, we are delivering on our commitment to dual the A9 as early as possible having already brought this scheme forward by around six months.
"This latest milestone on the Kincraig to Dalraddy section demonstrates the rapid progress being made and, notwithstanding the major challenges the scheme presents, we will continue to press for early wins as this unprecedented road improvement scheme moves ahead.''