Scottish Government Faces Renewed Pressure Over A9 Dualling Amid Funding Concerns

The Scottish Government is under renewed scrutiny over the A9 dualling programme, just two years after setting a revised completion target of 2035, with questions over funding at the centre of the debate.

Transport Scotland has confirmed that an update on funding for the delayed Inverness‑Perth dualling scheme will be included in the Budget on 13 January. The agency added that a parliamentary statement will follow soon after, providing further details on the government’s decisions.

This follows reports from late 2025 suggesting the government may abandon the private finance option, known as the Mutual Investment Model (MIM), for parts of the scheme. The SNP had originally pledged to complete the dualling by the end of 2025. Under the MIM, private funding would have covered roughly 51 of the 70 remaining miles of the route, but it is now reportedly considered not to offer value for money.

The £3.7 billion project is seen as vital for improving safety on the road, which has seen numerous accidents over the years.

Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing, who has long campaigned for the dualling and a Nairn bypass, urged the First Minister to act without further delay.

“The last update was in December 2023. Of the 83 miles yet to be completed, only two sections are finished, with the Tomatin to Moy stretch currently under construction – around £520 million has been spent so far,” Ewing said.“Delays since 2023 have largely been caused by uncertainty over how the remaining works would be funded. While a hybrid approach using public funds and private finance was proposed, rumours suggest the private finance option is now being dropped. That means more years of delay.“There is more than enough in the Scottish Government’s capital budget to complete the A9 dualling and the long-overdue Nairn bypass. The main holdup has been the time spent debating funding, and history appears to be repeating itself. I call on the First Minister to ensure the annual capital budget is allocated to these critical projects without further delay.”

The A9 dualling project remains one of Scotland’s largest transport infrastructure priorities, and pressure is mounting on ministers to provide a clear plan and timeline for its completion.