Welcome to the Winter 2024/2025 A9 Dualling Newsletter

(Archaeological investigations underway on the Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project)

Welcome to the fourth quarterly A9 Dualling newsletter.  December 2024 marked a year since the A9 Dualling delivery plan was announced in Parliament and, as this update will show, the dualling programme has moved forward significantly in that time.

Tomatin to Moy project

Throughout the winter period Balfour Beatty has been making progress with a range of preparatory works, including site clearance and tree felling, construction of temporary site accesses, accommodation works and erection of fencing.

(Site clearance underway in January 2025 in Tomatin)

Recently we issued confirmation that a reduced speed limit of 40mph would come into operation on this section of the A9 on 10 March 2025. This reduced speed limit is essential to ensuring the safety of road users and the workforce whilst construction works are in progress. Once the reduced speed limit is in operation a final phase of preparatory works will be undertaken to narrow the lanes, whilst still providing one lane for traffic in each direction. This narrowing will provide the working space that is necessary for main construction works to progress. Road users are asked to take care on approach to the area, to observe and obey all signage, and their patience whilst these essential temporary traffic management measures are in place is appreciated.

As part of Balfour Beatty’s engagement with the community, a virtual ‘Meet the Contractor’ event was held at the end of February and beginning of March, which allowed those who could not attend in-person events held at the end of last year an opportunity to view exhibition material and speak with members of the team.

Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project

Procurement of the construction contract for this project has continued throughout this period and we remain on track to award this contract in Summer 2025.

In preparation for award of the construction contract activity has continued on a advance works contracts, including:

• Ground investigation works, which were completed on site at the end of February 2025;
• Archaeological investigation works, the contract for which was awarded on 2 December 2024. Trenching works have been progressed at several locations across the site and preliminary investigations have begun at the Kindallachan Cairn monument. The images below show trenching works in the anticipated location of the General Wade Military Road.
• Work by Network Rail’s contractor have commenced for the construction of four under track drainage crossing of the railway required by the project; and
• Procurement of a further package of enabling works including tree felling, demolition and habitat creation has been progressed.
  
  

  Excavations in the anticipated area of of the General Wade Military Road on the Tay Crossing to Ballinluig Project

 Pitlochry to Killiecrankie project

Preparations for commencement of procurement of the construction contract in Summer 2025 have continued, along with preparation for procurement of a number of advance works contracts.

Ground investigation works were completed on site in February 2025.

Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project

Design and assessment work to develop the preferred route option is on-going. The draft Orders and Environmental Impact Assessment Report for this section of the A9 Dualling will be published in Spring, which will mark the commencement of the statutory process for the project.

Dalraddy to Slochd and Crubenmore to Kincraig projects

Made Orders came into force for the Dalraddy to Slochd project on 6 December 2024 and for the Crubenmore to Kincraig project on 17 January 2025.

Social Value Programme

The annual Academy9 ‘Sustainable Solutions Roads of the Future Challenge’ was launched on 6 January 2025 and so far 13 schools have signed up to participate. Pupils will embark upon a 10-week hands-on programme as part of a team to design and build a sustainable road incorporating as many of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as possible.

Other Academy9 events in the period included:

• Apprenticeship Academy at Kingussie High School involving S2/3 pupils from Kingussie High School and Grantown Grammar (11-13 February 2025);
• Roadshow at Pitlochry Primary School involving P7 pupils learning about Engineering, Geology and Ecology (25 February 2025); and
• Risk Radar transition event at Grantown Grammer School with P4 and P5 pupils, examining different types of risk with a focus on the dangers associated with construction sites (25 February 2025).

More information on the Academy9 programme can be found on the dedicated page on the website.

Other activities

The last quarter has also seen a number of other activities undertaken by the A9 Dualling team, including:

• Providing a briefing to MSPs in Holyrood on 12 December 2024;
• Issuing a response on 9 January 2025 to the Citizen Participation and Public Petition Committee report on its inquiry on the A9 Dualling Programme. The response can be seen on the website;
• Publishing a report on the assessment of rescheduling and acceleration proposals for the A9 Dualling Programme. The report recommends that the current schedule for the delivery plan be maintained, as it achieves overall completion of the dualling programme earlier than could be achieved if works were rescheduled. It also recommends that the delivery plan is not accelerated, because of the likelihood that this would negatively impact procurement, construction and supply chains and increase disruptions for road users, as well as risking prices increases due to increased competition for resources.  View the report on the Transport Scotland website; and
• Launching consultations with relevant market sectors to inform further decision-making on the use of Mutual Investment Model contracts for completion of the A9 Dualling Programme. This follows on from similar consultations undertaken to inform development of the delivery plan announced in December 2023. 

Whilst the reduced daylight and poorer weather over the winter period has an effect on the extent of work that can be undertaken on site, the progress that has been made in the last quarter positions the A9 Dualling Programme and its individual projects to take significant steps forward in the months ahead and we will continue to provide as much advance notice as possible of planned activities.

Thank you for your continuing interest in the A9 Dualling programme.  Please help us grow the subscriber base so we can keep as many people informed and updated as possible by sharing the link to register for updates.

A9 Dualling Team