Scottish Government's 'current favoured position' is to fully dual A96
A new report has been published which outlines feedback received on the Corridor Review of the road.
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop says the government's current favoured position is to fully dual the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen.
A new report has been published which outlines feedback received on the Corridor Review of the trunk road.
Through the online part of the consultation, 76% of respondents were dissatisfied or very dissatisfied with the draft outcomes of the review, which involves only partially dualling the route.
The findings have been passed on to Fiona Hyslop who says the Scottish Government's position has not changed.
Last year, Scottish Ministers dropped a 13-year-long pledge to dual the A96 by 2030.
'Any A96 decision will need to consider Westminster spending review'
Speaking as feedback from the 12-week long consultation is published, Fiona Hyslop explained any decision for the A96 will need to consider the impact of Westminster's recent spending review.
She said: "The position of the Scottish Government has not changed – the current favoured position is to fully dual the A96 and we are already starting the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including a Nairn Bypass, having acquired the land for the scheme earlier this year.
“As part of the then Bute House Agreement, the Scottish Government agreed to undertake a review of the corridor, a lengthy and complex process and Transport Scotland published the outcomes from the Review in draft for consultation last November.
“It was important that local people, businesses and communities were given the opportunity to help inform the government’s final decision on how to take forward improvements to the A96 corridor.
"It is a sign of the public interest in this work that over 1,400 responses to the consultation were received from stakeholders, local communities along the A96 and road users amongst others.
“I have now received the report on the feedback gathered during the consultation and will be considering the findings alongside the review’s extensive appraisal and assessment work before a decision is made on improvements to the A96 corridor.
"Any decision on the way ahead for the A96 corridor will need to take into consideration the UK Government’s recent Spending Review and its impact on Scottish Budgets, and the forthcoming update to the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Investment Plan, expected later this year.”