Everything you need to know about the Nairn bypass project ahead of Inverness Courier event
Residents of Nairn will know that the construction of a bypass has been a talking point for many decades.
Indeed, it has been a few years since the Scottish Government has pledged to make that project a reality.
Tonight, as part of our Build The Bypass Campaign, we will be hosting an event in Nairn with Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop in attendance in the hope of moving the conversation around the plans for a bypass one step forward.
Here is what you need to know ahead of the event.
Where and When?
The event will run tonight (Friday, May 31) at Nairn United Reformed Church from 6.30pm.
Seats are limited so anyone wishing to attend should book via this link.
Who?
The panellist on the night will be
· Fiona Hyslop MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Transport
· Fergus Ewing MSP, Inverness and Nairn
· Tracy Cameron, Co-chair Nairn Connects BID
· Cllr Laurie Fraser, Provost of Nairn
· Dr Alastair Noble, Local Place Plan Steering Group Spokesperson
Where are we at?
Talks about building a Nairn Bypass and dual the A96 section between Inverness and Nairn started taking shape in 2008, when a Strategic Transport Projects Review set out the Scottish Government’s transport investment priorities. These included upgrading the A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen, and a Nairn Bypass.
But it wasn’t until 2011 that this intention was solidified into a pledge, with the Scottish Government Infrastructure Investment Plan committing to complete the dual carriageway network between all Scotland’s cities.
In 2014 a preferred route was announced and in 2016 the updated plans were published – these have remained unchanged since then. There was to be a completion date of 2030.
Ground investigation works were carried out in 2017, and in 2018 there was a Public Local Inquiry.
In 2021, the Greens and the SNP signed the Bute House Agreement – which added the requirement of a A96 Corridor Review –which was supposed to be published in 2021 but has not been announced yet – however this specifically excluded the section between Inverness and Auldearn.
In March 2023 former FM Humza Yousaf pledged to make the Inverness to Nairn dualling project – including the bypass – a priority during the SNP leadership hustings Humza Yousaf.
In December 2023, in response to an Inverness Courier A9 Crisis Summit was held last summer, new deadlines were announced for the A9 to be dualled, and two sections are currently out for tender, which however raised fears that the A96 Nairn Bypass would be pushed even further down the Scottish Government’s Agenda.
The 31km section of the Nairn Bypass has ministerial approval.
Compulsory Purchase Orders are in place, and in March 24, the Made Orders were published. At present there is no timeline for when the project is set to be delivered, and between 2011 and February 2024, only one piece of land had been bought as part of the development.
