First Minister Humza Yousaf tackles a question from North East MSP Liam Kerr (Conservative) on the A96.
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00:00 New figures show that 11 people have died and that 69 have been seriously injured in
00:07 accidents on the A96 in the past four years. The Scottish Government promised in 2011 that
00:12 it would be dualled by 2030, but that is now subject to a review at a cost of £5 million
00:19 and whose publication has been delayed by more than a year. When will the review finally
00:26 be published? Will the Government ever dual that killer road?
00:33 What does not help when it comes to our capital infrastructure projects is a 10 per cent cut
00:38 to our capital budget over the next five years. Conservative members cannot come to the chamber
00:45 and demand that we continue to invest in roads but simultaneously cut our budget time and
00:50 time and time again.
00:52 As confirmed by our programme for government, we remain absolutely committed to improving
00:57 the A96, including dualling Inverness to Nairn and the Nairn bypass, which already has ministerial
01:03 consent following that public local inquiry. The Minister for Transport is due to meet
01:11 members who have an interest in the A96 on 25 January, and will provide a more detailed
01:19 update on the scheme and details of how the review is being undertaken on the wider A96
01:25 corridor. However, in the interim, I assure all members that preparation work continues
01:32 at pace on the Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass section. I expect orders
01:37 for the scheme that will be made in the first quarter of 2024, with a view to completing
01:42 the necessary statutory process.