The Scottish Government has faced severe criticism after it was revealed that SNP ministers have allocated a staggering £340 million to design consultants and planners for dualling merely 11 miles of crucial Highland roads. This substantial expenditure, described as 'jaw-dropping' by critics, has raised serious questions about value for money and project management.
Breakdown of the Consultancy Costs
Detailed figures uncovered by the Scottish Conservatives show that the government has disbursed £260 million of public funds on consultancy fees for the A9 dualling programme. An additional £80 million has been spent on the A96 project. Astonishingly, these sums do not encompass any actual construction costs for the roads themselves.
Progress on the A9 and A96 Routes
To date, only the A9 has seen any tangible progress, with 11 miles of the route between Perth and Inverness being dualled. In contrast, the A96, which connects Inverness and Aberdeen in the northeast, has not witnessed a single mile of dualling completed, despite the hefty £80 million investment in planning and design services.
Expert fees for the A9 alone have escalated to £261.3 million, translating to nearly £24 million per mile for the dualled sections. With another 72 miles of the A9 still awaiting completion, the financial implications are profound. The original deadline for finishing the dualling was last year, but it has now been postponed to 2035, further exacerbating public frustration.
Political Reactions and Public Outcry
Sheep farmer Tim Eagle, a Scottish Conservative candidate in Moray, voiced concerns, stating, 'Serious questions must be asked about whether these consultancy fees have been value for money for two of the most dangerous roads in Scotland when so few improvements, if any in the case of the A96, have been made.'
Douglas Lumsden, standing for the Tories in Aberdeenshire East, added, 'The public will rightly be appalled that £80m has been spent on design consultants and planners for the A96 with absolutely nothing to show for it. This ludicrous sum of money should have resulted in work starting by now, yet the northeast is no further on than it was in December 2011 when the SNP falsely told people the road would be dualled.'
Government and Transport Scotland Responses
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop defended the expenditures, explaining, 'The government has spent £80m on A96 dualling. This figure comprises expenditure on the vast range of specialist advisory services required to inform the design. £261.3m has been spent on consultancy fees on the A9 out of an estimated total scheme cost of £3.97 billion.'
A spokesman for Transport Scotland supported this stance, noting, 'On complex, high-value projects, specialist advice is required to ensure contracts meet contractual and legal requirements whilst meeting policy objectives.'
Implications for Taxpayers and Road Safety
The revelation has ignited a debate over fiscal responsibility and the prioritisation of public funds. With both the A9 and A96 being among Scotland's most perilous roads, the delay in improvements poses ongoing safety risks for motorists. The substantial consultancy fees, without commensurate progress on construction, have led to calls for greater transparency and accountability in government spending on infrastructure projects.
As the completion date stretches to 2035, stakeholders are urging a reassessment of the dualling programmes to ensure that future investments yield tangible benefits for communities and enhance road safety across the Highlands.
