A £50m design contract for dualling work on the A96 in Scotland has been published, covering around 29 miles of the western section of the highway east of Auldearn to east of Fochabers.
The contract is expected to be awarded early next year and follows the award of a £30m design contract for the Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) section of the A96 to Jacobs UK Ltd,.
Transport Scotland said it is due to publish draft road orders in 2016 for this ‘more advanced’ section of the scheme between Inverness to Nairn, having identified a preferred option.
A96 dualling: Blue is existing dual carriageway section, red is single carriageway
Cabinet secretary for infrastructure, investment and cities, Keith Brown, said: ‘The publication of this contract notice marks another significant milestone in a dualling programme that will deliver a number of benefits when completed, including improved journey time and reliability, improved connectivity and improved road safety for all those who use this key artery connecting two of Scotland’s economic hubs.
‘With the Scottish Government making major infrastructure investment in projects like the A9, new Queensferry Crossing and recently completed Borders Railway, this contract for the A96 further underlines the significant investment we are making in our transport network across Scotland.’
