The Inverness Courier set to hold Build the Bypass event in May
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In September last year, the Inverness to Nairn section was revealed as the most dangerous stretch of the A96 according to figures obtained following a freedom of information request.
Five people were seriously injured on the route in 2022.
Serious collisions also took place in 2023 and, tragically, a fatal crash took the lives of two people in February of this year.
The ponderously slow rate of progress on dualling the road between Inverness and Nairn has been widely criticised by both local residents and elected representatives, with concerns about safety and congestion through Nairn itself.
Now, as part of The Inverness Courier’s ongoing campaign to Build the Bypass and dual the A96 between Inverness and Auldearn, we are getting set to host an event to discuss the development and future of the scheme this month.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop is set to attend alongside Inverness and Nairn MSP Fergus Ewing and other local representatives.
The event will be held at Nairn United Reform Church at 6.30pm on Friday, May 31 and will give a chance to make clear to decision makers the strength of feeling on an issue vital to the future wellbeing of Nairn and surrounding areas as well as to hear from Ms Hyslop about the latest developments.
Along with speakers, there will also be a panel discussion and questions from the audience.
Highland News and Media’s head of content and audience, Sarah Fyfe, said: "We recently ran a survey on traffic in Nairn and had over 500 responses within hours. The results were clear - Nairn residents feel a bypass is essential, with 95 per cent saying it would improve their lives.
"Furthermore, 72 per cent said they feel either 'unsafe' or 'somewhat unsafe' while driving on the A96. Even those who didn't share these safety fears used words like 'chaotic' and 'frustrating' to describe their experience.
"We are pleased to host a Nairn Bypass event to make sure these concerns are heard and acted upon."
And confirming her attendance Ms Hyslop said: “I am looking forward to attending the Nairn Bypass event on May 31 and hearing first-hand from local residents and road users.
“I understand the importance of the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn scheme, including the Nairn Bypass, to those living and working in the town of Nairn and the wider area and we remain committed to delivering it.
“We continue to progress preparation work on the scheme following the publication of Made Orders in March, a major step forward in delivering around 31km of new dual carriageway between Inverness and Hardmuir.
“To date, Ministers have not received intimation of any challenge to the making of the Orders and subject to no challenge being received, this would complete the statutory process for the scheme and allow us to acquire the land required to build it.
“It will also allow us to take forward work to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and thereafter a timetable for progress can then be set in line with available budgets.”
In his column in today’s Courier, Mr Ewing makes clear how he will continue pressing for action on the A96.
“The Green MSP Lorna Slater caused some consternation last week, when she called for the A96 dualling to be scrapped altogether in the interest of safety, she said,” he says.
“Yet, what she did not say is that dualling makes roads safer - for the very simple and understandable reason that the chances of head-on collisions is vastly reduced by the presence of the central barrier or reservation.
“There is now an outline plan for the A9 dualling but no information regards the first section of the A96 dualling project.
“Three years into this session of parliament, and we are still waiting. This is not good enough.”
The event will be free to attend but with limited spaces – updates on how to attend will be shared in the coming days.
