Bid to get Scottish Government to dual A9 from Tore to Dornoch Bridge set for Highland Council debate but rough estimates suggest it could cost £1.4 billion
Highland Council is to be asked to press the Scottish Government to consider dualling the A9 from the Tore roundabout as far as the Dornoch Bridge next week.
The move is designed to improve safety and access to two of the main bases of the Highland Green Freeport – Nigg and the Port of Invergordon.
The distance from Tore to the Dornoch Bridge (48 kilometres) is three times that of Crubenmore to Kincraig (16 kilometres).
Under the current A9 dualling programme Crubenmore to Kincraig will cost about £490 million so Tore to the Dornoch Bridge would come out at more than £1.4 billion.
But there are huge variables when it comes to bridges, the landscape and bridges most of all – not least the Cromarty Bridge which is 1.4 km long.
Nevertheless, Caithness Councillor Matthew Reiss and Cromarty Firth Councillor Richard Cross want the local authority to push the Scottish Government to commit.
The argument does not lack merit as it is the logical next step for the dualling and the existence of the potential freeport economic powerhouse adds to that.
The dualling may well be needed not just for site traffic but also for the many who are expected to staff the two large sites with enormous industrial ambitions.
In the motion, they said: “Upgrading the existing infrastructure to a dual carriageway is key to unlocking the benefits of the Cromarty Firth Green Freeport. It will not only improve traffic flow but also enhance overall safety for all road users.
“The increased capacity will alleviate congestion arising from increased employment related traffic and abnormal load movements from the Cromarty Firth ports of Nigg and Invergordon in addition to peak travel periods due to tourism, the NC500 and the impact of centralised potato crop processing and grain harvesting.
“Dual carriageway roads are safer than single carriageway roads. Additionally, such a development will reduce journey times to/ from the Far North, increasing the attractiveness of some of our most remote areas and improving access to Inverness based health and other services.
“Such a commitment would also inform the anticipated housing developments along this route, most notably north east of Alness from Milnafua to Mossfield, and at Tain, in addition to eliminating accident blackspots at Tomich and Tain.
“This residential expansion is likely to create substantial communities divided by the A9 as evidenced already in identified development sites, underlining the need for informed infrastructure planning.
“The section of the route between the Cromarty Bridge and the Evanton junction is a dangerous ‘pinch point’, which, if blocked, effectively isolates the North and Northwest mainland.
“There is significant concern and frequent debate regarding the difficulties of recruiting skilled personnel, notably but not exclusively health professionals.
“The benefits of this proposal will not only unlock the potential economic boost from the Green Freeport, but it will enhance the attractiveness of the area to incoming skilled workers, and also support the traditional tourist economy.”
They added: “In summary this section of the A9 is key to achieving the benefits of the Cromarty Firth Green Freeport initiative.”