£115m Tomatin/Moy A9 dualling contract will have emphasis on 'green construction'
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The next stage of the £3 billion A9 dualling programme is taking a step nearer completion as the Tomatin to Moy phase opens up for potential contractors.
The publication of the Contract Notice for the most northerly section of the project to fully dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth was announced by Scottish Government transport minister Graeme Dey at a virtual event for the construction industry.
Work is budgeted at £115 million for the project which will create nearly 20 miles of continuous dual carriageway south of Inverness once complete.
Mr Dey said:“Creating employment and training opportunities that benefit the people and communities surrounding this project is a key focus for this significant investment in Scotland’s infrastructure that intends to deliver improvements that bring economic, social and environmental wellbeing to the area.
“This new construction contract will help deliver our shared vision for Scotland – a sustainable, inclusive, safe and accessible transport system, helping deliver a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland for communities, businesses and visitors. It will also set out new aspirations for carbon reduction in construction and revitalise employment opportunities through a wide range of skills and training initiatives and educational engagement, throughout the duration of the construction phase.”
The Scottish Government's ambitions for the new phase of work include providing opportunities for small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) through subcontract opportunities and maximising opportunities for supported businesses and social enterprises.
It also hopes to create new jobs including apprenticeship and graduate posts, provide work placements supporting young people and those in priority groups and offer an on-site training facility, to be shared with the community.
The project will have an emphasis on green construction and minimising the environmental impact, with the use of electric/low or zero carbon emissions vehicles and renewable energy sources on site, where possible, the introduction of carbon emission measurement, monitoring and reporting and the encouragement of recycling and waste minimisation.
Mr Dey added: “Today’s announcement is welcome news for the Scottish construction and tourism industries, as well as the communities which line the route. This project will help stimulate economic growth aiding Scotland’s recovery from the Covid-19 pandemic. I have no doubt this new contract will build on the excellent work that our teams have achieved to date, and in doing so, will continue to unlock far reaching sustainable benefits through the delivery of this significant/ infrastructure project.”
Transport Scotland anticipate that this construction contract for the third section of the A9 Dualling will be awarded in the second half of 2022.
