Scottish Government Confirms Capital Funding and 2035 Completion for A9 Dualling Programme

The remaining sections of the A9 dualling programme will be delivered using capital funding, Scotland’s transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop MSP, has confirmed.

The announcement comes as part of the Scottish Government’s 2026 delivery plan for the long-running project, which is targeted for completion by the end of 2035.

The new programme ordering will bring forward work on three busy grade-separated junctions serving Carrbridge and Aviemore, offering safety benefits to local communities sooner than anticipated. These upgrades will form part of the sixth section of the northern corridor, running between Dalraddy and Slochd, and are expected to deliver approximately 38 miles (60.5km) of continuous dual carriageway between Inverness and Kincraig once complete in 2032.

The delivery plan also accelerates work on the Dalnaspidal junction and the Aviemore to Carrbridge Non-Motorised User Route (ACNMU), providing improved accessibility and safety for pedestrians and cyclists alongside the main dualling works.

Framework Agreement to Streamline Procurement

To support efficient delivery, the Scottish Government will establish a framework agreement to streamline procurement for all remaining sections that have yet to enter the market. Market consultation is expected to commence on 19 January 2026, with the framework procurement anticipated to begin in spring 2026, and participants appointed by the end of 2026.

Hyslop said:

“This announcement maintains the Scottish Government commitment to having dualling operational between Perth and Inverness by the end of 2035. Our 2026 delivery plan provides more detail and certainty for the market and brings forward key elements of the programme in the north section of the programme. This will be reassuring news for local communities in Aviemore and Carrbridge.

“With construction activity already taking place on 11 miles of the corridor, our plan will continue to ramp up that work, with 50% of the route between Perth and Inverness operating as dual carriageway by the end of 2030 – rising to 67% by the end of 2032, with 100% dualling achieved by the end of 2035.”

Industry Response

The move has been welcomed by industry groups. David Macdonald, chairman of the Civil Engineering Contractors Association (CECA) Scotland, said:

“CECA welcome the news that the remaining A9 dualling programme sections will be taken forward as capitally-funded contracts, providing more certainty for Scotland’s contracting industry of the opportunities available on this major infrastructure programme for Scotland. We look forward to continuing to engage with Transport Scotland throughout the procurement process.”