Scottish Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth says dualling the A9 by 2025 remains “challenging” as pressure mounts on the SNP to deliver rapid improvements over rising road deaths.
A total of 13 people have died on the 112-mile stretch between Perth and Inverness since July – the section due to be dualled.
Work is continuing on the route but just two out of 13 sections are completed to date.
Ms Gilruth faced questions over the timetable while on a visit to the official opening of the £8 million redevelopment of Aberdeen Station.
Asked if 2025 is still deliverable, she said: “I think the on track deliverability around the project, like many capital projects, is challenging.
“We recognise that across the piece at the moment in relation to infrastructure.”
The SNP minister pointed to an increase in capital costs of around 30% and said she awaits “further advice in relation to procurement options”.
A procurement strategy was due to be published in summer 2021 but a year and a half later it is still not complete.
Government agency Transport Scotland has blamed “market changes” for ongoing delays in publishing the blueprint.
Dualling commitment
Campaigners are taking their fight to improve road safety on the A9 the Scottish Parliament.
The petition has been created by Laura Hansler, who travels on the route most days, and says she has “never seen the A9 in such a bad state”.
But Ms Gilruth says “urgent action” is already under way after rising road deaths.
The transport minister met police in Inverness to discuss the fatalities in more detail and recently convened a meeting of the A9 Safety Group in Pitlochry.
She added: “There are a number of steps I’m keen to take forward at pace and I hope to say more on that in the coming weeks.
“I really recognise some of the challenge here in relation to the longer-term aspiration of the route.
“But the route absolutely requires to be dualled and that’s the commitment we are standing by.”
SNP backbencher Fergus Ewing called 2022 an “annus horribilis” when it comes to A9 road deaths.
The MSP for Inverness and Nairn told the BBC the delays have “not been acceptable”.
He said: “I don’t think the commitment is in doubt, but we need to see the commitment in words matched by deeds and we need to see very rapid progress.”
Sergeant Steve Livesey who patrols the A9 frequently told the BBC they are seeing trends – such as foreign drivers – in crashes this year.
He added: “We are also getting local tourists from the UK who are unfamiliar with the road.”