An investment of just under £6m for a package of improvement works on the A9 has been announced by Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson today.

The package includes a £2.6m contract for an overtaking lane at Moy, a £2.6m road surface upgrade scheme at Ralia and £600,000 dualling design works between Birnam and the Jubilee bridge, north of Dunkeld.

Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said: "This key route is seeing over £16m of improvements during a three year period, with the completion of schemes at Carrbridge and Bankfoot last year, the works at Moy and Ralia this year and also a project at Slochd scheduled for next year.

"These schemes, coupled with the design works being undertaken for future enhancements, further demonstrate our commitment to invest progressively in the A9 on a continuing basis, leading to dualling of the route between Perth and Inverness.

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"This will help to not only make the A9 a safer, quicker and more reliable road, reducing congestion, but will also sustain over 50 construction jobs this year as well as bring additional economic benefits for businesses and communities along the length of Scotland’s longest trunk road."

The design work is the first part of the package of works to be rolled out, with surveys commencing shortly. Part of Transport Scotland’s Strategic Transport Projects Review, this will complement the accelerated design work already undertaken on the section between Luncarty and Pass of Birnam.

The £2.6m contract for Moy, 30km north of Aviemore, has been awarded by Transport Scotland to Aggregate Industries and will begin in March, lasting for 12 weeks. The project will see the construction of a new northbound overtaking lane of 1.1km and a new right turn lane, as well as the closure of an unclassified road leading from the A9 to the village of Moy.

At Ralia, near Newtonmore, structural improvements will be made to 3.2km of carriageway, benefitting road users with a new high standard surface. The maintenance project, which is also expected to start this spring, will last for ten weeks.

Both projects will use the modern, greener and more sustainable method of 'crack and seat' construction. This approach brings benefits by reducing carbon emissions, as there are less deliveries, and lowers waste output by recycling existing materials.

(GK/BMcc)