Highland Council ditches upgrade plans for Longman Roundabout in Inverness from City Region Deal - so what will Scottish Government do?
Ambitious plans to ease traffic congestion at a bottleneck Inverness roundabout have been ditched from the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal - five-and-a-half years after they were revealed.
Highland Council has decided to redirect up to £28 million from the deal towards its Corran Ferry project in Lochaber and dropped the Longman Roundabout scheme.
However, Scottish Government has stated its commitment to the Longman scheme - originally thought to cost between £85 million and £95 million.
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A new flyover is a key element of the preferred solution to improving traffic flows at the Longman Roundabout, connecting the A9 and A82 near the Kessock Bridge, and also includes enlarging the existing roundabout.
The planned East Link, which will connect the A9 and A96 between Inshes and Smithton, has an estimated price tag of up to £35 million and will remain part of the City Region Deal after being decoupled from the Longman scheme.
The City Region Deal is a commitment of £315 million worth of funding for a range of projects including the transformation of Inverness Castle - with £135 million from the Scottish Government, supported by £127 million from Highland Council and its partners, and another £53 million from the UK government.
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Transport secretary Fiona Hyslop told The Inverness Courier: “Last week Scottish ministers informed Highland Council that they can use up to £28 million of funding through the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal to deliver a new electric Corran Ferry.
“We recognise the local community has suffered from the lack of a reliable ferry service and are pleased to be playing our part - this is a good example of listening to local needs and working in partnership to come up with a creative solution. This funding will complement existing commitments through the deal to invest in improvements to the related shoreside infrastructure - which should safeguard the future of the Corran ferry service.
“The council owns and operates the ferry service - the busiest single vessel operated route in Scotland - which carries over 270,000 cars each year. The much-needed investment will be welcomed by the peninsular communities of Ardgour, Sunart, Ardnamurchan, Moidart, Morar, Morvern, the Isle of Mull and beyond. During my visit to local communities in Ardnamurchan last year I heard first hand about the impact and importance of this ferry. I sincerely hope the new service will support the area’s vibrant visitor economy to drive jobs and economic opportunities across the Corran Narrows, and help us reduce carbon emissions, while improving local air quality as we work towards a lower carbon ferry network.
“So what does this mean for other opportunities? The Scottish Government remains committed to the Longman Junction Improvement Scheme. Although this has been removed from the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal, at the council’s request, it will remain in our transport investment pipeline, which is subject to the annual budget setting and prioritisation processes.
“The project is currently progressing through the detailed development and assessment of the preferred option which requires to be completed before draft Orders can be published.
“This change request only removes the Longman project from the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal - the A9/A96 Inshes to Smithton project remains a part of the deal. Publication of Made Orders on the Inshes to Smithton scheme on June 20, 2024 is a major step forward in delivering the important link between the A9 and A96. Completion of the statutory process clears the way for ministers to acquire the land required to construct the scheme and Transport Scotland is pressing ahead with the procedural steps to make this happen. Work is also being taken forward to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and thereafter a timetable for progress can then be set.
“The ability to move people, goods and services around Scotland and beyond is a key building block to growing the economy, leisure and tourism, and making our nation more prosperous.
“Transport is literally a lifeline, with ferry and air services operating to Scotland’s islands to support people, communities and key public services to rural and island communities. And everyday, we help to keep families, friends and communities connected – locally, nationally and internationally. This is a prime example of progress in action.
“I look forward to continuing to support the Highland Council with their transport priorities.”
There is no fixed delivery timeline for the Longman Roundabout project.
A council spokesman said: “The Longman Junction Improvement Scheme is no longer included in the Inverness and Highland City Region Deal. However, the Scottish Government remains committed to the project, which remains part of its transport investment pipeline. Its progression will depend on budget availability rather than funding from the City Region Deal.
“Transport Scotland’s full commitment of £109 million to the City Region Deal will be allocated exclusively to infrastructure projects that fall under the scope of the City Region Deal and Transport Scotland’s remit. This funding plays a critical role in supporting transformative infrastructure investments aimed at enhancing regional connectivity, fostering economic growth, and addressing local priorities.
“The precise breakdown of the funding allocation is still under development and Transport Scotland will confirm this is due course.”
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