‘No U-turn on town bypass’ – Scotland’s transport minister Jenny Gilruth remains committed to delivering the bypass and the dualling of the A96 to Inverness and visited Rosebank Primary School and met representatives from the local businesses at Nairn Community and Arts Centre
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A forthcoming capital spending review – which is expected to be published in the next few weeks – could provide a clearer picture on when the much-anticipated Nairn bypass is likely to progress.
Scotland’s transport minister Jenny Gilruth, while at a consultative meeting with interested partners in Nairn, gave an assurance that the Scottish Government remained committed to delivering the bypass and the dualling of the A96 to Inverness.
But when asked by the Inverness Courier specifically if she could give any assurance that the project would be in the next capital spending plan beyond 2025 she said she was not in a position to do that because it had not been published yet.
Consultation meetings arranged by Nairn BID between local politicians, businesses and the minister took place last week.
Ms Gilruth met teachers and pupils at Rosebank Primary School to witness the impact of having a trunk road passing it.
Later, she was accompanied by local MSP Fergus Ewing and MP Drew Hendry, when she met representatives of Nairn BID, Highland and community councillors and representatives from the local businesses at Nairn Community and Arts Centre.
Ms Gilruth said: “[The primary school visit] conveyed to me the importance of relocating the road as quickly and safely as possible, also for local businesses.”
She said Scottish ministers have vowed that the bypass and dualling will happen.
“I am committed to working with the local MSP and MP to get the timescales available to local people and I have tasked Transport Scotland officials to provide that so people understand where we are,” she said.
“It will be completed and we will not be unpicking it.”
Nairn BID manager Lucy Harding arranged the meetings.
“We are very pleased the transport minister has taken time to come and see for herself our town and the road that cuts through it,” she said.
“Nairn is growing year-on-year and the bypass is urgently needed. What we have now is not fit for purpose and is dangerous to everyone’s health and safety. It is also stunting potential growth for the town and hinders external and internal investment.”
She added: “Ms Gilruth reassured us that she would be taking our concerns back to the government and she is keen to expedite the process. She reassured us that she and Transport Scotland would be back in touch once the capital spending review is completed at the end of this month and was keen to emphasise the need for pace.”
Mr Hendry said: “I’m absolutely delighted that the transport minister took the time to come to Nairn and to meet with many business and community representatives to hear, first hand, how vital the scheme is to the future development of the town.
“She underlined that both the Inverness to Nairn dualling and the Nairn bypass are not subject to review and were Scottish Government commitments that Transport Scotland would deliver on.
“She was also very clear that she is looking to accelerate the process of delivering the bypass and I look forward to further announcements, in the very near future to underline that progress.”
Rosebank’s pupils showed the minister the difficulties they face on a day-to-day basis and presented her with posters about the road.
Headteacher Lisa Campbell said: “The pupils were delighted to discuss their concerns with Ms Gilruth on behalf of our school community. Not only does the volume of traffic present a safety risk for pupils and families but it also impacts on our overall health and wellbeing due to the traffic noise and pollution.”
Dr Alastair Noble, of Nairn West and Suburban Community Council, described the discussions with the minister as constructive, adding: “We must now wait to see if it’s in the 2025-30 spending budget.”
