Contextual information
Construction Scheduling Considerations
Construction scheduling of the A9 Dualling programme has been developed to balance a number of factors, as summarised in Table 2.
| Factor | Scheduling Implications |
|---|---|
| Road User Disruption | Adoption of a maximum continuous length of temporary traffic management measures, to limit road user frustration associated with travelling at reduced speed. Adoption of a minimum length of road free from temporary traffic management measures between sections of road where temporary traffic management measures are in place concurrently, to limit road user frustration associated with travelling through multiple sections of road subject to temporary traffic management measures. |
| Market Capacity for Bidding | Scheduling procurements to minimise the extent of concurrent procurement activity, to enable bidders to enter procurements with knowledge of the outcome of the preceding procurement and to encourage participation by additional bidders due to the pipeline of bidding opportunities. |
| Market Capacity for Construction | Scheduling procurements and construction to provide a stepped build-up in volumes of construction activity on the A9 Dualling programme, noting that there is also significant construction activity expected in other sectors. |
| Financial Circumstances | Responding to the challenging financial circumstances at the time of decision-making on the approach to completion of the A9 Dualling programme, by scheduling procurement of D&B contracts to commence earlier than procurement of MIM contracts, which are subject to further decision-making in late 2025. |
The construction schedule of the delivery plan for the A9 Dualling programme is illustrated in Figure 2, which presents this information in a “time-chainage” format. The vertical axis of this figure represents the A9 corridor between Perth and Inverness, and the horizontal axis represents time. The placement of blocks against these axes represents the location, length and duration over which construction work is expected to be carried out. Whilst an indicative phasing is illustrated for sections of the A9 North MIM Contract and the A9 Central MIM Contract, this will form part of the dialogue process with bidders during procurement of these contracts and the final phasing may differ from that shown below.
Figure 2
This figure indicates the location and timing of construction activity for each of the contracts comprising the A9 Dualling programme, showing the relationship with existing dual carriageway sections.
In order, from north to south, it shows:
A9 North Section
- Existing dual Moy to Raigmore, 13.1km;
- Tomatin to Moy Design and Build contract, 9.6km, construction commencing during 2025 and completing by the end of 2028;
- Existing dual Slochd to Tomatin, 5.5km;
- Dalraddy to Slochd as part of A9 North Mutual Investment Model contract, 25km, Phase 4 (21.5km) construction commencing during 2029 and completing by the end of 2033 and Phase 2 (3.5km) construction commencing during 2029 and completing by the end of 2031;
- Kincraig to Dalraddy. 7.5km, operational September 2017; and
- Crubenmore to Kincraig as part of A9 North Mutual Investment Model contract, 16.5km, Phase 5 (2.5km) construction commencing during 2031 and completing by the end of 2033, Phase 3 (10km) construction commencing during 2029 and completing by the end of 2033 and Phase 1 (4km)
construction commencing during 2029 and completing by the end of 2031.
A9 Central Section
- Existing dual Crubenmore, 3.8km;
- Dalwhinnie to Crubenmore as part of A9 Central Mutual Investment Model contract, 11km, Phase 5 (5km) construction commencing during 2033 and completing by the end of 2035 and part of Phase 2 (11km) construction commencing during 2031 and completing by the end of 2033;
- Glen Garry to Dalwhinnie as part of A9 Central Mutual Investment Model contract, 9.5km, part of Phase 2 (11km) construction commencing during 2031 and completing by the end of 2033 and Phase 2 (4.2km) construction commencing during 2031 and completing by the end of 2033;
- Existing dual Glen Garry, 9.3km;
- Killiecrankie to Glen Garry as part of A9 Central Mutual Investment Model contract, 22km, Phase 6 (7.6km) construction commencing during 2033 and completing by the end of 2035, Phase 4 (10.9km) construction commencing during 2031 and completing by the end of 2034 and Phase 3 (3.5km) construction commencing during 2031 and completing by the end of 2034; and
- Existing dual Killiecrankie, 2.2km.
A9 South Section
- Pitlochry to Killiecrankie Design and Build contract, 6.4km, construction commencing during 2027 and completing by the end of 2030;
- Existing dual Ballinluig to Pitlochry, 6km;
- Tay Crossing to Ballinluig Design and Build contract, 8.2km, construction commencing during 2027 and completing by the end of 2030;
- Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing Design and Build contract, 8.4km, construction commencing during 2027 and completing by the end of 2030;
- Existing dual Pass of Birnam, 2.2km;
- Luncarty to Pass of Birnam, 9.5km, operational August 2021; and
- Existing dual Inveralmond to Luncarty, 3.5km.
The construction schedule shown in Figure 2 is dependent on the procurement schedule noted in Table 3.
| Contract Type | ||
|---|---|---|
| Period | Contract | |
| D&B Contract | Autumn 2023 to Summer 2024 | Tomatin to Moy |
| D&B Contract | Spring 2024 to Summer 2025 | Tay Crossing to Ballinluig |
| D&B Contract | Summer 2025 to Autumn 2026 | Pitlochry to Killiecrankie |
| D&B Contract | Summer 2027 to Autumn 2028* | Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing |
| MIM Contract** | Winter 2026/27 to Autumn 2028 | A9 North MIM Contract |
| MIM Contract** | Winter 2028/29 to Autumn 2030 | A9 Central MIM Contract |
* subject to completion of statutory processes
** subject to ongoing due-diligence and further decision-making in late 2025
The procurement schedule noted in Table 3 minimises overlapping D&B contract procurements and avoids overlapping MIM contract procurements, thus managing demands on market capacity to bid for these contracts. It also, so far as possible, provides continuity of bidding opportunities for each contract type. Based on this schedule, the only period of any significant duration between successive procurements of similar contract types is between completion of procurement of the Pitlochry to Killiecrankie project and commencement of procurement of the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing project, which is an unavoidable consequence of the anticipated date that the latter project will complete its statutory processes.
Road Safety
The Road Safety Framework to 2030, published in February 2021, sets out the Scottish Government’s vision for road safety in Scotland, which is for Scotland to have the best road safety performance in the world by 2030 and an ambitious long term goal where no one is seriously injured or killed on our roads by 2050.
All trunk roads are considered within an annual review of the safety performance of the trunk road network, including the sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness that have not yet been dualled, to identify sites or sections of routes with recorded collisions that may merit further investigation. Further investigations are then carried out and, where appropriate, mitigation measures are prioritised for delivery.
In 2012 the A9 Safety Group was formed, with the main aim of working together with partners before and during the A9 Dualling programme to explore any measures which could be introduced on the route using engineering, enforcement, education and encouragement to positively influence driver behaviour to help reduce road casualties. The group meets on a regular basis and includes members representing authorities, road users and professional or industry organisations.
To encourage compliance with speed limits, average speed cameras were introduced on the A9 between Dunblane and Inverness in 2014 and subsequently upgraded in 2022. Police Scotland also continues to patrol the route using both marked and unmarked vehicles to monitor driver behaviour.
In December 2022 the Scottish Government announced a £5m package of additional engineering measures to be applied to the A9 between Perth and Inverness between 2023 and 2025, which are intended to address the perceived contributory factors to collisions recorded in 2022. These measures include enhancement to road markings on single carriageway sections, upgrades to the transitions from dual to single carriageway with enhanced signs indicating the end of dual carriageway, red surface infill and illuminated road studs in hatched areas to give greater emphasis, installation of “two way traffic” signs and road marking arrows on the single carriageway sections reaffirming “drive on the left” at regular intervals and the deployment of eight variable messaging signs at strategic locations throughout the peak tourist season in 2023 and 2024.
The results of the most recent annual review of the safety performance of the trunk road network identified a need for further work to be undertaken on single carriageway sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness at the locations noted in Table 4, which also notes which A9 Dualling programme project is associated with the locations concerned.
The work in progress for each of the locations identified in Table 4 will determine the nature of any further interim measures to be introduced to improve safety at these locations in advance of dualling works being undertaken.
It is important to differentiate between locations where accidents have occurred and causal factors of accidents, which in a number of cases may not be location specific. It is therefore not appropriate to consider historic occurrences of such accidents as being predictive of future accident occurrences at the same locations.
| Location | Issue and Further Work | Associated A9 Dualling project |
|---|---|---|
| Section of A9 between Inveralmond to A923 (Inver) Junction. | 2024 review of accident rate suggested further consideration required. However, Luncarty to Pass of Birnam dualling works became operational in 2021 and therefore accident rate to be further reviewed in 2025 to provide an assessment based on three years of post-completion data. | Luncarty to Pass of Birnam (Operational 2021) and Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing (Expected to be operational by end 2032) |
| B8079 (Bruar) Junction | Accident cluster identified for further consideration. CCTV study completed to monitor effects of adjustments to road markings - currently being analysed. | Killiecrankie to Glen Garry (Expected to be operational by end 2035) |
| Dalnaspidal Junction | Accident cluster identified for further consideration. Accident investigations are currently ongoing. | Glen Garry to Dalwhinnie (Expected to be operational by end 2035) |
| B9150 (Newtonmore/ Ralia) Junction | Accident cluster identified for further consideration. CCTV study was arranged to review driver behaviour to identify if additional measures are required to reduce collisions and conflicts. First survey was completed in March 2024 and was repeated in summer 2024 to monitor effects of adjustments to road markings - currently being analysed. | Crubenmore to Kincraig (Expected to be operational by end 2033) |
| A86 (Kingussie) Junction | Accident cluster identified for further consideration. An intervention to improve safety is expected to be implemented in early 2025 to address commonalities in the accidents. | Crubenmore to Kincraig (Expected to be operational by end 2033) |
| B9152 (Lynwilg) Junction | Accident cluster identified for further consideration. Accident investigations are currently ongoing. | Dalraddy to Slochd (Expected to be operational by end 2033) |
The relationship between the locations identified in Table 4 and the contracts to be procured for completion of the A9 Dualling programme is summarised in Table 5.
| Contract | Location(s) |
|---|---|
| Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing D&B Contract | One location (A9 between Inveralmond and A923 (Inver) Junction) partially lies within the extent of this contract. Under the delivery plan this contract is due to be procured at the earliest opportunity following completion of statutory processes for the project concerned. |
| A9 Central MIM Contract | Two locations (B8079 (Bruar) Junction and Dalnaspidal Junction) are within the extent of this contract. Under the delivery plan this contract is due to be procured between Winter 2028/29 and Autumn 2030 and be operational by the end of 2035. |
| A9 North MIM Contract | Three locations (B9150 (Newtonmore/Ralia) Junction, A86 (Kingussie) Junction and B9152 (Lynwilg) Junction) are within the extent of this contract. Under the delivery plan this contract is due to be procured between Winter 2026/27 and Autumn 2028 and be operational by the end of 2033. |
Based on current information, and notwithstanding the need for consideration of some location specific mitigation measures, it is considered that a sound basis does not exist for concluding that particular single carriageway sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness are inherently less safe than other single carriageway sections. In the absence of such a basis, it is not considered that there is a robust method of prioritising earlier dualling of one section of single carriageway over another section of single carriageway to achieve relatively greater levels of improvement in safety performance.
Improved safety performance is expected to result from the introduction of temporary traffic management measures during construction operations, primarily as a result of reduced speed limits and restrictions on overtaking.
Lengthy Diversion Routes
Closure of certain sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness results in lengthy diversion routes being required due to the absence of local diversion routes. Particular sections of the A9 where this is the case are between Bruar and Dalwhinnie and between Carrbridge and Slochd.
Whilst alternative trunk road routes between Perth and Inverness are available, these result in significantly greater distances and journey times and require use of lengths of road of poorer standard than the A9 between Perth and Inverness. These alternative routes are summarised in Table 6.
| Alt. Route | Journey Length and Time Implications |
|---|---|
| Western Trunk Road Route | A85 Perth to Crianlarich, A82 Crianlarich to Inverness. Increase in distance of approximately 60 miles and increase in journey time of at least 2 hours. |
| Eastern Trunk Road Route | A90 Perth to Aberdeen, A96 Aberdeen to Inverness. Increase in distance of approximately 75 miles and increase in journey time of at least 1.5 hours. |
Reduced network disruption and improved network resilience is expected to result from the introduction of temporary traffic management measures during construction operations, primarily as a result of an expected reduced number and severity of collisions whilst temporary traffic management measures are in operation, but also due to the availability of vehicle recovery services as part of the temporary traffic management measures.
Accelerating Completion of Construction
There are two principal theoretical means by which completion of construction could be accelerated, which can operate independently of each other or in combination. One is to introduce overlapping or concurrent procurements, which would then result in an increased volume of overlapping/concurrent construction activity. The other is to seek to reduce the duration of construction programmes by deploying additional resources to accelerate construction activity.
Due to the nature of the works involved in dualling the A9, which predominantly entail construction of a new carriageway adjacent to the existing carriageway, followed by transfer of traffic to the new carriageway while reconstruction work is undertaken on the existing carriageway, the construction process is expected to take relatively longer than would be the case for projects where construction of both carriageways of a new off-line road can be carried out simultaneously.