Meeting of the Parliament 28 November 2024
On the decisions around what happens with Inverness and Nairn, I was keen to ensure that we completed the statutory requirements for not only Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass dualling, but Inshes to Smithton.
Rhoda Grant made the point about the dualling aspect, and that is why that aspect of the dualling is also being commenced. That enables Transport Scotland to purchase the land that is required for the work to be carried out.
As part of our work on Inverness to Nairn, consideration has to be given to the feasibility and attractiveness of either combining that scheme with adjacent schemes to form larger contracts, or splitting it and delivering through smaller contracts, such as the Nairn bypass. We also have to consider—as was set out at the public meeting that I attended in Nairn—whether we proceed with a design and build method or a mutual investment model.
The member will know that we are already examining the opportunities of using a mutual investment model for parts of the A9. I reassure her that we are doing the same exercise in parallel for the Inverness to Nairn bypass, and on completion of the exercise we can provide a reliable timetable. To do so in advance of that would be speculation, because, as my official said at the Nairn public meeting, the timetable will depend on whether there is to be a design and build through capital approach, or whether funding will be delivered through a mutual investment model.