A joint action plan has been agreed between The Highland Council, the Scottish Government and Transport Scotland to promote strategic road projects in the Highlands.

A council delegation met Stewart Stevenson, Minister for Transport, infrastructure and Climate Change in Edinburgh earlier this week when further progress was made in taking the plan forward.

Included in the joint action plan are improvements to the A82, A96, including the new link road between the A96 and the A9, the Nairn Bypass, and the A9.

A Stakeholder group is being formed to identify priority areas for improvements on the A82, and Transport Scotland and British Waterways have agree to work with the Council to investigate options for completing the link between the Dores Roundabout and the A82 at Torvean, including options for crossing the River Ness and the Caledonian Canal.

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Work is also being undertaken to ensure that the road line for the Nairn by pass is protected through the Highland Wide Development Plan.

Local improvements to the trunk road network, including Berriedale Braes on the A9, and the approaches to Torgoyle Bridge on the A87 were also discussed, and the Minister has agreed to a further meeting in the early part of 2010 to review progress on all of these projects.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of the Transport Environmental and Community Services Committee, said: "We had a very positive meeting with the Minister and I can assure the public that we are making progress in planning the improvement of the strategic routes in Highland.

"We will be working hard behind the scenes over the coming months to take forward the joint action plan."

Master planning, he said, includes feasibility studies, community consultations, protection of road lines, land acquisition, and detailed design to take projects to the stage where they are ready for construction.

On the A 82, Transport Scotland is working with the Highland and Argyll and Bute Councils and HITRANS to develop detailed designs for improvements which can take advantage of flexibility in future programmes.

On the A9, Transport Scotland is continuing to implement "2+1" improvements north of Blair Atholl as an interim solution ahead of dualling.

Work is also to focus on upgrading the A96 including identification of a transport solution for linking the A96 and A9 at Inverness and providing access to the UHI/Inverness Campus site at Beechwood, Inverness, and we need to ensure that the road corridor for the Nairn by pass is protected through the Highland Wide Development Plan.

(GK/BMcC)