A96 dualling report was handed to SNP transport secretary months before publication

The outcome of the A96 Corridor Review was handed to Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop three months before its publication.

A written response to a parliamentary questions reveals that she received the final publication of the A96 Corridor Review in August - with documents released just weeks ago.

Responding to a question from a Scottish Conservative MSP, Ms Hyslop said she heard about “emerging outcomes” from the review last February.

She then received a “hard copy” of the final report on August 28 – three months before addressing parliament on its publication.

During her statement, she announced that the commitment to dual the A96 between Inverness to Aberdeen by 2030 had been abandoned.

The release follows almost two years of questions about the project, which was supposed to be published in December 2022, resulting in the document’s cost spiralling to £6 million.

Conservatives described the “revelation” as “scandalous” for the SNP government.

However, a Transport Scotland spokesperson denied that the Scottish Government’s position had changed, and said a final decision depended on the consultation outcome.

A further consultation has been launched, after the review recommended to ditch full dualling along with an Inverurie bypass.

However, bypasses for Elgin and Keith appear to have survived the process.

The Scottish Conservatives have also launched a campaign, seeking to gather support from the public to stop the SNP from rowing back on their commitment and describing the situation as a “matter of life or death”.

North East MSP Liam Kerr said: “The veil of secrecy shrouding the dualling of the A96 should be a mark of shame for this SNP government.

“It’s scandalous that Fiona Hyslop knew the outcome of the review months before giving a parliamentary statement on the issue.

“Throughout this period, I, along with my colleagues, repeatedly asked for meetings with the SNP Transport Secretary to discuss timescales which were rejected.

“The SNP are trying every sleekit trick in the book to cover up for their failings on the A96, which is costing the taxpayer millions of pounds with no progress to show for it.

“Every day wasted adds to the fear faced by commuters, whose safety is being risked on a route that desperately needs dualling.

“Fiona Hyslop must explain why she chose to hide the A96 Corridor Review from the public eye for so long, despite numerous calls for her to release its findings.”

In a written response, Ms Hyslop said: “I received initial advice from Transport Scotland on the emerging outcomes of the corridor review in February 2024 followed by comprehensive advice on the outcomes from the review’s appraisal and assessment work, including full details of the magnitude of the review’s associated reporting in July 2024.

“I then received a hard copy of the full corridor review’s Transport Appraisal Report on 28 August 2024 which set out the outcomes of the Transport Appraisal of the review. Following consideration of the advice from Transport Scotland officials, the reporting from the corridor review was published on 28 November 2024 in draft for consultation.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The position of the Scottish Government has not changed – the current favoured position is to fully dual the A96 and we are already starting the dualling process from Inverness to Nairn, including Nairn Bypass.

“As part of the then Bute House Agreement, the Scottish Government agreed to undertake a review of the corridor, a lengthy and complex process, which took longer than initially anticipated because of the huge interest and engagement from the public.

“The Review which has been published in draft for consultation extends to over 2000 pages of reporting and clearly demonstrates the significant work which has been undertaken to inform future investment in this key transport corridor.

“It is important local people, businesses and communities are given the opportunity to help inform the government’s final decision on how to take forward improvements to the A96 Corridor.

“No decisions on the final outcome from this Review will be determined until we hear from the public and consider their views from this 12 week consultation.

“People have until February 21, 2025 to get involved.”