Fiona Hyslop
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Our experience of ScotRail and the Caledonian Sleeper coming into public ownership is that greater accountability to ministers results in better outcomes for passengers. Public ownership has allowed for significant benefits to passengers, such as the scrapping of peak fares.”
“GBR will also deliver passenger services that are currently the responsibility of the Secretary of State for Transport. The Scottish ministers will retain their current devolved responsibilities, including securing the provision of ScotRail and the Caledonian Sleeper and specifying and funding rail infrastructure in Scotland.”
“As colleagues know, I have consistently advocated for full devolution of Scotland’s railways to better integrate track and train. Unfortunately, the UK Government is not willing to pursue that change at this time.”
“I support the policy intent of the bill, in particular its ambition to maximise the benefits of greater integration while respecting devolved arrangements. The Scottish Government supports open access and freight development and the LCM is about devolved responsibilities.”
“I thank all those who have been on the journey with me: parliamentary and constituency staff; members from all parties; and, of course, the people of Scotland, with their hopes and dreams of a Scotland that is fair and just for all and is the country that they know it can be.”
“From speaking to drivers across my Lothian region, who are spending hours of their time caught up in traffic every month, I know that there is growing frustration that we have not seen work begin on that upgrade. I welcome the answer that the cabinet secretary outlined to Parliament.”
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“The Scottish Government is committed to making Scotland’s roads safe for all. Backing this commitment is a record £36 million investment, which is set to increase to £48 million in 2025-26, to fund targeted initiatives that are aimed at reducing road casualties and enhancing safety. This includes national behaviour change campaigns, targeted road safety schemes on trunk and local roads, and effective speed management through the national strategy for 20mph and the national speed management review. We are also strengthening expertise by training more than 500 road safety practitioners in the internationally recognised safe system approach by June 2025. Claire Baker: Addressing driver behaviour must be part of the approach to reducing fatality rates.”
“Only yesterday, Ross Greer warned in the budget debate that politics should not be a “bit of a game” in which “we are all just here to get one up on one another”.— [Official Report, 25 February 2025; c45.] However, the Green Party’s motion does exactly what he warned against. On day 1, they support the budget; on day 2, they want to drive a coach and horses through the transport resource budget and blow a £51 million hole in it. A rail fare freeze, which the Greens did not ask for during budget negotiations, would leave us having to find an additional £11 million.”
“The Government agrees that we must make public transport accessible, affordable and reliable in order to encourage more people to travel by bus and train. The off-peak all-day trial was bold and pioneering. It was possible only due to this Government’s having brought ScotRail under public sector control and it was definitely worth trying. However, the pilot did not achieve its original aim of encouraging more people to travel by train. The analysis shows that there was only a limited increase in passenger numbers—6.8 per cent—during the pilot. Consequently, insufficient levels of income were generated to justify continuing the pilot, which mostly benefited existing passengers who have above-average incomes. Similarly, the recent fare reduction trial by Transport for London did not see passenger numbers increasing.”
“I move, That the Parliament believes that rail fares in Scotland must be cheaper; regrets the decision by the Scottish Government to end the off-peak all-day pilot in September 2024, despite an increase of passenger demand by 6.8% and an average 17% cost saving to passengers; understands that expensive and complex ticketing deters passengers from choosing to travel by train; acknowledges that, in order to fulfil the Scottish Government’s ambition of reducing car kilometres by 20% by 2030, rail services and public transport must be cheaper and more accessible, and calls, therefore, on the Scottish Government to reverse the 3.8% increase to rail fares coming into effect from 1 April 2025, to permanently remove peak-time rail fares, and to simplify public transport fares, through the introduction of integrated ticketing, as soon as possible.”
“Few people would be tempted to change their job or sell a car based on a short-term pilot to reduce rail fares, so long-term certainty is important. The cabinet secretary’s amendment indicates that the Transport for London off-peak trial’s results mirror those of the Scottish scheme, and cites them as proof that our scheme somehow did not work. However, TFL’s pilot ran only on Fridays for 13 weeks: it could hardly be called a trial at all. The spiralling rail travel costs issue is not going away, and it goes way beyond what can be agreed in budget negotiations in a single parliamentary year. We need a real vision for Scotland’s railways from the Government, but above-inflation increases to complex rail fares that discriminate against workers should have no place in that vision.”
“During our time in Government, the Scottish Greens worked to secure the removal of peak fares through the pilot scheme, which resulted in a shift in ticket prices for peak-time commuters and an average saving across all tickets of 17 per cent. Over the scheme’s duration, passenger numbers increased by nearly 7 per cent, and 4 million extra journeys were switched away from private cars. Awareness of rail as a viable travel option also increased, with 80 per cent of people who participated in the scheme stating that they were now making more trips by rail. The Scottish Government has scrapped the pilot scheme, having cited a limited increase in passenger numbers and lack of modal shift towards rail travel. However, we all know that modal shifts take longer than a year-long pilot, and that multiple interventions are needed to support it.”
“They either get the train and save time, but spend more money, get the bus and spend less money but waste time, or drive, if they are able to, and spend less money but waste more time sitting in traffic jams. Those are the real-world choices that are faced every morning by households, and none of those options properly serves the people or the economy. Public transport should be seamless and accessible, and it should be an affordable choice. I am concerned that rail is increasingly being seen as a premium form of travel for the few, rather than mass transit for the many. It seems odd that, having successfully opened a new rail route to Levenmouth with the objective of tackling economic disadvantage, the Government is now allowing fare increases that will price many people out of the restored train services that communities fought for.”
“I reassure Mark Ruskell that integrated ticketing is happening, but does he recognise that 75 per cent of public sector journeys are on buses? Is it the position of the Greens that the majority of subsidies should go to rail travel at the expense of bus travel? Mark Ruskell: No—it is not an either/or. The cabinet secretary would do well to reflect on the fact that many people use multiple modes of transport and that integration is therefore critical. It is disappointing that the Government always seems to see rail travel as being second to bus travel, when we need to invest in both. They do very different things. For many people, the choices are stark.”
“Fiona Hyslop: Mr Gibson might be aware, and should be aware, that I would not want to say anything about timescales or conclusions that would cause an issue with the on-going negotiations, which are being conducted in good faith. However, I assure him that I and the Scottish Government are committed to Ardrossan harbour. Kenny Gibson, as the constituency MSP, has been formidable in pressing the Scottish Government to ensure that we make progress. I, like everyone, would have liked things to have happened sooner than they have done. We are obviously still some way off in relation to what the investment results will provide and the timescale for that, but I reassure him that support and funding for the purchase is available in the 2025- 26 budget.”
“I confirm that funding for a potential purchase of Ardrossan harbour forms part of the 2025-26 Scottish Government budget. Kenneth Gibson: I thank the cabinet secretary for her reply and warmly welcome the confirmation that the Scottish Government is actively pursuing the purchase of Ardrossan harbour. Many of the issues that have plagued progress on the redevelopment project stem from private ownership of the port, Brodick’s redevelopment having been completed seven years ago. The cabinet secretary is to be congratulated on breaking through the logjam to undo the damage that has been caused by Tory privatisation, but can she say when a final agreement with Peel Ports is likely to conclude and when we might finally see shovels in the ground at Ardrossan?”
“I reassure Mr Gibson that the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands discusses those matters regularly with me and colleagues. She is very aware that we intend to invest more than £530 million in the coming year to support and enhance ferry services, including for Arran. I want to make members aware that work on the Ardrossan harbour business case has been expanded to explore alternative options. I have instructed Transport Scotland and Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd to progress discussions around the Scottish Government’s potential purchase of Ardrossan harbour. That would of course require a fair negotiated settlement and due diligence to be completed but makes clear the Government’s commitment to the future of Ardrossan harbour.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: There are a couple of supplementary questions and I will try to get them both in, but they will have to be brief, as will the responses.”
“Will the cabinet secretary, given her remit, work with her colleagues to look at a potential scheme, whereby sockets could be provided in warm hubs and vulnerable people’s homes to allow generators to be connected as a matter of urgency, instead of the process taking three or four days? Fiona Hyslop: I will discuss that suggestion with my Cabinet colleagues. We can always learn lessons—those that have been learned from storm Arwen helped to improve the response this time round. Lessons are learned from every storm, so I will take Finlay Carson’s suggestion to the relevant minister and ask them to respond on how that might be taken forward, if the energy companies think that it would be helpful.”
“Intense co- operation between Network Rail and ScotRail supported recovery from unprecedented damage. I thank everyone for limiting their travel during the storm. There will also be a more formal lessons- learned exercise, which will be closely considered by the Cabinet. Finlay Carson: The cabinet secretary will be well aware that the south of Scotland—Dumfries and Galloway, in particular—was affected more than many communities, with the A75 being closed for some time. Another lesson that can be learned is in relation to people in Dumfries and Galloway whose power was off for almost a week. One of the main issues was a failure to connect generators. Scottish Power was very reactive and responsive in ensuring that people on the priority list had generators, but some had to wait three or four days for electricians to connect the generators.”
“Storm Éowyn caused major disruption. The immediate lesson learned is that the early issuing of the red weather warning for wind by the Met Office on Thursday 23 January, combined with the convening of the multi-agency response team, empowered Police Scotland to promptly issue early advice to road users to avoid any form of travel during the period of the red weather warning, which enabled the public, businesses, councils and schools to communicate clearly. The sharing of proactive messaging at local, regional and national levels helped to bring about a huge reduction in traffic levels, of 80 to 90 per cent, across key trunk roads during the red warning. The messaging also enabled specialist teams across the transport and energy sectors to be mobilised in advance of the storm.”
“That emergency work required a further review of the proposed design solution that is to be undertaken, so that any additional implications could be considered. The most up-to-date position can be provided to those who have petitioned the Government, although I do not think that we have the contact details for everyone who signed the petition. On journey times, I understand from our operators that the maximum delay is 12 minutes. I know that a delay of 12 minutes can cause an issue. If Douglas Ross is able to provide information that shows that people are regularly waiting longer than 12 minutes, I invite him to do so, but the information that I have been provided with is that the delay is less than 12 minutes.”
“We are now in February, and we do not know what Fiona Hyslop and the Scottish Government think. Will she look at alternative measures to compensate the businesses in question, if it is not possible to provide compensation for work on a trunk road? Those businesses are losing hundreds of thousands of pounds as a result of the works, and they deserve to be compensated. Fiona Hyslop: I have set out the policy on compensation—or, rather, the fact that no compensation is payable in relation to work on trunk roads. I recognised the on-going nature of the problems: it is a complex issue to resolve. The contracting started before Christmas, but it has been delayed as a result of emergency work by utilities companies in proximity to the slope failure.”
“Douglas Ross will be aware that compensation is not payable to any businesses for disruption arising from road works on any trunk road and the motorway network that are required to keep them in a safe condition. Unfortunately, such work can sometimes result in disruption to local communities, but every effort is being made to mitigate impacts. Douglas Ross: I do not think that residents and businesses in Keith feel that every effort is being made to mitigate the impacts, because the work has been on-going since last summer. The cabinet secretary did not mention the petition. What is her response to the hundreds of business owners who have written to her, who have still not received a reply? I handed the petition over to the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity in December last year.”
“We recognise the on-going impact that those vital and complex repair works are having on the local community and businesses in Keith, following a landslip that resulted in the failure of the wing wall at Union bridge. The operating company that conducts the repairs and road management discussed that with representatives of local elected members, Keith community council and the local traders association in September, and it plans to meet them again shortly to provide an update, once the repair contract is awarded in the coming weeks. The temporary traffic lights and safety barrier were installed to prevent any further risks to pedestrians and road users, with “business as usual” signage added to continue to direct traffic into Keith and its businesses.”
“Will the cabinet secretary carefully consider the consequences for my region and scrap the proposals as soon as possible? Fiona Hyslop: We will listen to the consultation, which closes on 5 March. I remind Roz McCall that, in 2023, 754 people were killed or seriously injured on single-carriageway roads. In France, the Government implemented a national speed limit reduction in July 2018, which led to a reduction in the average speed of vehicles, a 10 per cent decrease in fatalities and a minimal impact on journey times, of less than one minute in a 50km journey. Union Bridge (Petition) 7.”
“A public consultation is under way and I encourage the member to share her views before it closes on 5 March. Roz McCall: I will do so. The proposed arbitrary reduction in speed limits on 60mph roads will add to journey times and, undoubtedly, to the frustration that motorists are feeling. Many businesses across the region depend on the movement of goods and materials, and single carriageway roads are the backbone of the transport infrastructure in the area. Workers who live in rural areas often have no viable alternative to using their cars, and reducing speed limits on single carriageways could significantly increase commute times, thereby creating more challenges for employees and businesses alike. The disproportionate impact that the proposals will have on my constituents and on businesses should not be taken lightly.”
“As part of the Scottish Government’s record £36 million investment in road safety, a national speed management review is under way. The review aims to ensure that speed limits across Scotland are effective and help to reduce the number of people killed and injured on our roads, including in Mid Scotland and Fife. Proposed changes contained in the review have been rigorously assessed and are expected to reduce casualties and fatalities. International evidence, including France’s successful 2018 speed limit changes, shows how measures can lower speeds and reduce casualties. The assessment indicates that the changes will have a minimal impact on journey times, because reduced speeds contribute to smoother traffic flow, which reduces congestion, serious collisions and diversions, and improves journey reliability.”
“The member is correct to identify the impact on the economy of good transport connections. As part of the detailed design for the scheme, further geotechnical investigation is required to accommodate the upgraded traffic signal junction on the A737 at Head Street and Wardrop Street. That investigation is programmed to commence later in 2025 and will inform the design and construction of the signalised junction. Construction is currently programmed for the 2026-27 financial year, subject to available funding and completion of the design. Grangemouth Refinery 5.”
“Kenneth Gibson: Despite having levels of traffic comparable to those on the busiest sections of the A9 and despite serving some of Scotland’s most deprived communities, the mostly single- carriageway A737 will receive a fraction of the investment made in dualling the A9, which is forecast to total £3.7 billion. Does the cabinet secretary agree that enhanced safety and improved connectivity boosts economic growth? Will she commit to ensuring that the new Head Street and Barmill Road junctions in Beith, which are essential for public safety—and have been promised for many years—are progressed to completion? Fiona Hyslop: The Scottish Government is committed to taking forward the design of the traffic signalisation of the A737 Head Street and Wardrop Street junctions.”
“We appreciate fully the importance of the A737 to North Ayrshire and, indeed, to Scotland. That is why the Government has invested approximately £14 million in the construction of the Dalry bypass and the Den realignment project. Through the second strategic transport projects review, we have assessed the future needs of the Ayrshire and Arran region. That has resulted in a number of recommendations, including to focus on maintaining the trunk roads in the area—including the A737—so that they remain safe, resilient and adapted to deal with the impacts of climate change.”
“We are considering the mutual investment model for the A96 part of the road—which we have just been discussing—and for the A9. On completion of that consideration, we will be in a position to determine the timetable, which I will be happy to share with the Parliament. The other consideration is whether one procurement process will be completed for the whole project or whether the contracts will be separated for different parts. A strong argument was put to me at the public meeting in Nairn that the Nairn bypass might be done separately and differently. All those things will impact on the timetable, and we will consider them. When we have managed to assess all those points, I will come back to the Parliament. A737 (Assessment) 4.”
“Will the cabinet secretary, at last, give a statement to Parliament setting out such a plan? If she will not, does she not think that an apology is due? Fiona Hyslop: First as the Minister for Transport and now, as Cabinet Secretary for Transport, I have progressed the A96 Inverness to Nairn project, including the Nairn bypass. I have ensured that we have made progress on completing the made orders and acquiring the land. We are acquiring the land because we intend to dual that part of the A96 first. That is what is happening. As I explained to the public meeting in Nairn last summer, the timetable for dualling will be determined by two things. The first is the method of procurement, whether it is capital procurement or through a mutual investment model.”
“Completion last year of the statutory process for the A96 dualling from Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass, clears the way for the Scottish ministers to take forward the final stage of the process to acquire the land that is required to construct the scheme, and Transport Scotland is pressing ahead with the procedural steps to make that happen. It is currently expected that the process to take title to the land will be completed in the coming months. The current estimate of compensation for land to be acquired for the scheme is approximately £12 million. Fergus Ewing: Scotland was promised in 2016 that the made orders for that project would be published in that year. They were published last year—eight years later. Even now, there is no timetable, no plan and no indication of when the Nairn bypass will be completed.”
“I recognise Mr MacGregor, as the constituency MSP, for being a persistent and effective representative for his constituents in pursuing that important issue for them. Carbon Literacy 7.”
“Transport Scotland and the other agencies that I mentioned have been excellent at communicating with me and have been open to improvements. I am pleased that, at the most recent meeting, it was agreed that further reviews would take place of the implementation of a filter lane at one of the junctions and that, following the results of a recent red-light survey, there would be further discussions with the Police Scotland safety cameras team. What can the Government do to support the transport agencies to ensure that any required improvements are undertaken as soon as possible? Fiona Hyslop: I will ask officials at Transport Scotland to conclude the review work as soon as possible and to prioritise any recommendations for early delivery.”
“As a Government minister, I have had no specific discussions regarding Shawhead flyover with the Scottish Government’s transport agency, Transport Scotland. However, I am aware that Transport Scotland officials and the maintenance contractor are in dialogue with Mr MacGregor, as the local constituency MSP, regarding the operation and safety performance of a nearby signalised junction and potential remediation or action. Fulton MacGregor: The cabinet secretary will be aware that the road is, unfortunately, a hotspot for accidents and has been a major concern for many of my constituents. As she said, she is also aware that I have had several meetings, which are on-going, with Transport Scotland, the Scottish Roads Partnership and Amey regarding improvements at the junction.”
“That has included Scottish Enterprise engaging with the port’s consultants to provide input on key market opportunities. A meeting with relevant ministers can be considered at an appropriate stage but, depending on the potential funding sources, it may be more appropriate to meet economy, marine or energy ministers, as portfolio leads, when it is finally suggested what funding is best pursued.”
“Karen Adam: Fraserburgh harbour has ambitious plans to develop its infrastructure and be the first port of call for supporting vital Scottish industries—especially offshore wind and our fishing fleet. However, the harbour must also fund, at risk, its necessary development and feasibility works. What reassurance and advice can the cabinet secretary give the harbour? Will she meet me and the harbour board to discuss that further? Fiona Hyslop: Karen Adam is a strong champion of Fraserburgh harbour, and I have previously met the board with her. It is an independent trust port, and it is important to reiterate that discussion is taking place between Scottish Enterprise and the harbour on the master plan and the economic opportunities, including what new port infrastructure might be required to support the economic prospects.”
“In the ferries budget for 2025-26, £80 million has been forecast for piers and harbours to support and enhance ports across the Clyde and Hebrides and northern isles ferry services. That includes committed projects, new works and early design and business case development. Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd leads delivery on that and works with third-party port owners when investment is required to support new vessels and other network improvements. Other routes to funding are available for ports outwith the lifeline ferry network. For example, I am aware of on-going dialogue between Scottish Enterprise and Fraserburgh harbour about the port’s master plan and other economic opportunities.”
“Will the cabinet secretary update us on when we can expect to hear the findings of that consideration, given that safety cameras are ineffective at addressing the problem that we have with the A75? Fiona Hyslop: Work is under way, as I said in my previous answer, to consider the possibility of deploying average speed cameras on the A75. The outcome of that process will be identified through the conclusions that flow from the annual safety camera site prioritisation exercise. It is under way and Police Scotland’s west safety camera unit is considering a change to the enforcement strategy. When we have those results from Police Scotland, I will be more than happy to relay them to the member, as the First Minister communicated in his visit in December. Gaza (Humanitarian Aid) 6.”
“Finlay Carson: Nobody in the village of Crocketford will ever forget the carnage that was caused by a horrid accident involving two speeding heavy goods vehicles in November 2022. The communities of Crocketford and Springholm face the dangers of cars and HGVs speeding only feet from their doors. Although work is due to begin in March on speed management plans in Crocketford—something that I have been pressing long and hard for—that is simply a sticking plaster. During his visit last December, the First Minister agreed that Transport Scotland will consider the case for overhead average speed cameras along the length of the A75 and within those vulnerable villages.”
“This year, as part of a £1.1 billion investment in maintaining and improving Scotland’s road network, the Scottish Government is investing a record £36 million in road safety initiatives across key routes. That includes £7.5 million of investment in the safety camera programme to ensure the continued deployment of safety cameras across Scotland, including on the A75 and A77. To maximise the impact of that technology, an annual site prioritisation exercise is undertaken each year, and as part of the process, consideration is being given to a change in the enforcement strategy on the A75. In addition to those considerations, a range of engineering improvements is programmed on key routes in the south-west of Scotland. That includes the signalisation of the Cuckoo Bridge roundabout on the A75 and of the A77 Doonholm road junction.”
“With the Tomatin to Moy construction work starting in earnest in the autumn, following preparatory works that have already started, there will be continuous dualling work until 2035. I reiterate that, as I said to Mr Ewing, there will most often be work on more than one site on the A9 at any given time. I trust that that will be recognised in members’ contributions today. 15:19”
“There is a concern that, at that point, the Parliament will be maturing. Is the cabinet secretary certain that we will be able to have proper scrutiny of any decision that comes forward at that late stage? Fiona Hyslop: I am not sure where the member’s comment that the statement would be brought forward into 2026 came from. That would be a matter for Parliament. I am very keen to move things forward, so I take responsibility for trying to bring the statement to Parliament in such a state that there can be proper accountability, which is required in relation to such a major decision. I have been updating Parliament since December 2023 and I will continue to update it and local MSPs on progress. The design and development of the different sections will involve engagement with and input from local residents, businesses and communities.”
“If a decision is taken not to make use of MIM contracts on the A9 dualling programme, we will implement an alternative approach such as use of capital-funded design and build contracts, and there is a Cabinet decision to prioritise the completion of the A9 dualling programme within Scottish Government budgets. Jackson Carlaw: Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention? Fiona Hyslop: I was about to close, but, if I have time, I will take the intervention, Deputy Presiding Officer. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Please be brief, Mr Carlaw. Jackson Carlaw: I note the commitment to come forward with a statement following the consideration of matters at the end of this year. The commitment is to bring forward a statement not necessarily this year, but potentially into next year.”
“The work on that, which has already started, involves updating cost estimates, undertaking further market consultation with contractors and financial investors, updating the outline business case for the programme and undertaking the necessary assurance reviews of that work. There is continuous engagement with contractors, as members might appreciate. Once those activities have been completed, ministers will be in a position to determine whether the current delivery plan intention to procure two MIM contracts will be confirmed. The Government will then ask to make a statement to Parliament to set out the conclusion of the further decision- making processes. I want to be very clear to Parliament about the Government’s position on that work.”
“I also noted the committee’s recommendation regarding the establishment of a new parliamentary committee. The Government is clear that that is a matter for Parliament to determine. The Government will, of course, direct its reporting to the appropriate committee, which is currently the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee. The first of the six-monthly update reports to that committee was issued on 21 November 2024, and I have written to it on six other occasions with updates. It is essential that there is a sound evidence base for decision making on the use of mutual investment model contracts for the contracts to be procured, in line with the requirements of the Scottish public finance manual and the Treasury green book.”
“We remain fully focused on and committed to delivering dualling of 50 per cent of the A9 between Perth and Inverness by the end of 2030, 85 per cent by the end of 2033 and 100 per cent by the end of 2035. As I noted in my response to the committee, the Government considers that many of the committee’s conclusions and recommendations in its inquiry report relate to two main themes: transparency and certainty. I hope that the various activities that I have outlined in my response demonstrate the action that we are taking on those themes. I am wholly committed to progressing the programme and to listening to Parliament, local residents and businesses, and keeping them informed and engaged. We have regular meetings and publish newsletters and there is a new A9 dualling website.”
“As he will know, because he has attended the briefings that I have provided on the A9 project, the work on the sections will not happen one by one. The whole point is that work will happen concurrently across the A9. Work will happen on the south of the A9 at the same time as work on the north of the A9, and the processes for them will happen simultaneously. That is why trying to reorder the current scheduling would have an impact. There would be a danger of concurrent issues that would affect both price and certainty of delivery. Certainty is something that the committee was very keen on. I believe that the Transport Scotland report demonstrates that the plan that was established and published in December 2023 is robust and represents a practical way to undertake this large programme of works in the years ahead.”
“Doing the sections one-by-one and using the traditional procurement method, rather than the framework method, is surely almost guaranteed to lead to a repeat of the mistakes of the past. Can the cabinet secretary say, in consideration of the request that was made by all parties except the Greens at a meeting that we had with you and the First Minister last June, what consultation Transport Scotland had with industry about how to accelerate the project in practice, given that Transport Scotland will deliver it? The Deputy Presiding Officer: I remind members to always speak through the chair. Cabinet secretary, I can give you the time back for the intervention. Fiona Hyslop: Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. There were a number of points in Fergus Ewing’s intervention.”
“That is due to the need to delay procurement and construction of the fifth contract to avoid an overlap that the current delivery plan was developed to avoid because of the implications for road user disruption. Those changes in the procurement sequence would also reduce continuity of the bidding pipeline for those projects, making them likely to be less attractive to bidders. I appreciate that there is a range of views about how completion of the dualling programme should be achieved. On that note, I will take an intervention from Mr Ewing. Fergus Ewing: The Tomatin to Moy section was announced by Michael Matheson in February 2021 but will not be completed until 2028, taking seven years from start to completion. There are eight remaining sections and eight times seven is 56.”
“In practical terms, the scheduling options are therefore limited to the timing of procurement and construction of the fifth contract, for the section from Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, of the sixth contract, which is the A9 north MIM contract, and the eighth contract, which is the A9 central MIM contract. Fergus Ewing: Will the cabinet secretary give way now? Fiona Hyslop: I will come to you shortly, Mr Ewing. The report published earlier this week shows that rescheduling and reversing the procurement sequence of the sixth and eighth contracts would result in an expected delay of around a year in the overall completion of the dualling programme.”
“The first two contracts for the A9 dualling programme have already been constructed and are operational, the third contract reached the contract award stage in July 2024, and the contract award for the fourth contract is expected in summer 2025. Rescheduling is therefore feasible only in respect of the fifth, sixth, seventh and eighth contracts, which are due to begin procurement in summer 2025, winter 2026-27, summer 2027 and winter 2028-29 respectively. However, as the seventh contract, for the section from the pass of Birnam to the Tay crossing, is already scheduled to start at the earliest date possible, based on the expected date of completion of that project’s statutory processes, and is not dependent on any other project, any change of date would mean delaying completion beyond the currently expected date.”
“Fiona Hyslop: I would like to move on. On Tuesday of this week, Transport Scotland published a report on its assessment of rescheduling and acceleration proposals for the A9 dualling project, which was an issue that the committee referred to in its report. On the basis of the assessment’s findings, Transport Scotland’s report did not recommend rescheduling or trying to accelerate the dualling programme, although it did recommend that further assessment should be made of the potential for an advanced works contract at Dalnaspidal junction. I have asked Transport Scotland to take that forward. It should be borne in mind that the potential rescheduling opportunities are limited.”
“That approach was supported by a Cabinet decision to prioritise the completion of the A9 dualling programme within its budgets. Since the announcement of that plan, the Government has made good progress, including through commencing procurement of the Tay crossing to Ballinluig project in May 2024; the awarding of the contract for the Tomatin to Moy project in July 2024; publication of orders for the Killiecrankie to Glen Garry and Dalraddy to Slochd projects; and progression of the land acquisition processes for the Tay crossing to Ballinluig, Pitlochry to Killiecrankie, Glen Garry to Dalwhinnie and Dalwhinnie to Crubenmore projects. I will say more in my closing speech about the progress that has already been made and the further progress that is expected during 2025. Fergus Ewing: Will the cabinet secretary accept an intervention?”