Road chiefs have confirmed an update on the new timescale for dualling the A9 will be provided to the Scottish Parliament in autumn.
The route between Perth and Inverness will no longer be dualled by 2025, but there has been confusion over when the new target date would be revealed.
Transport Secretary Mairi McAllan failed to confirm last month if the planned autumn announcement would include dates for the remaining sections.
But government roads agency Transport Scotland has confirmed this will be provided.
Urgent work to determine the most suitable procurement options for the remaining nine out of 11 sections is now in the “final stages”, they added.
The SNP has faced pressure to provide an urgent update on the work this summer.
Ms McAllan will today join MSPs, campaigners and roads chiefs at the Inverness Courier’s A9 Crisis Summit at the city’s Eden Court.
An update will be given on the “urgent progress” being made toward both short-term A9 safety improvements and the dualling programme.
Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Tories, said the summit must result in an “acceleration” of the road programme.
The opposition leader claims:
- His party would prioritise dualling the A9 “as soon as possible”.
- A9 Crisis Summit must result in an “acceleration” of the project.
- SNP have failed to make A9 a priority and “prioritised central belt”.
- Communities feel “ignored” by the Scottish Government.
The Press and Journal has pledged to keep the pressure on the Scottish Government to keep their A9 promise.
We have urged readers to make their feelings known by contacting their representatives using our letter.
A total of 13 people lost their lives on the route between Perth and Inverness last year.
A9 dualling push
Mr Ross is unable to attend today’s summit as he will be at Westminster where he sits as MP for Moray.
But speaking exclusively to the P&J, he said: “The dualling has been in the Scottish Government’s manifesto for some time.
“The fact they’ve failed to deliver this means people continue to die on this road in shocking numbers.
“Nothing short of fully dualling it as quickly as possible will be acceptable.”
Ms McAllan told MSPs last month that it is her “intention” to outline “next steps” for the road by autumn.
However, she failed to confirm if this will include a timetable for the remaining sections.
The SNP first promised to dual the A9 in 2007 but admitted earlier this year this was “simply no longer achievable” because of economic pressure.
‘Prioritised central belt’
Mr Ross, who drives the A9 on an almost weekly basis, said the failure to deliver the project on time comes down to “prioritisation”.
He said: “Certainly many of us in the north of Scotland and other parts of the country feel the SNP have prioritised the central belt to the detriment of other parts of Scotland.
“None of that could be clearer than not dualling this crucial integral route into the Highlands.
“They’ve definitely not made it enough of a priority. If they had, that road would have been dualled as they promised.”
‘Urgent work’
A Transport Scotland spokesman said: “The Scottish Government is committed to completing the dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness. It is both a national and a local priority.
“The cabinet secretary and officials from Transport Scotland will attend the event in Inverness today to listen to the views of a range of stakeholders and also provide an update on the urgent progress being made toward both short term A9 safety improvements and the dualling programme.
“Urgent work to determine the most suitable procurement options for these sections of the A9 dualling is now in the final stages ahead of advice being provided to ministers for decision.
“An update on a new timescale for completion will be provided to the Scottish Parliament in the autumn.”