Group wants more say in local dualling design

Following the news that options for the new dual carriageway from Inverness to Aberdeen have been narrowed down, the Forres Area A96 Community Group (FAA96CG) met at the town hall to plan how to increase pressure on Transport Scotland to involve the community in the project via a “co-creative process”.

Group member David Parker confirmed around 20 attendees looked at the remaining options North and South of Forres.

He said: “We talked about how to take our request for a co-creative process forward. We now plan to ask for support from local MSPs Richard Lochhead and John Finnie. Hopefully they will press our case in Parliament.”

The Scottish Government intends for the road, which will take about 20 minutes off journey times between Inverness and Aberdeen, to be completed by 2030.

The latest updates include the removal of options P1 – Hardmuir to Forres Enterprise Park; B1 – Easter Newforres to Hardhillock; O7 – Linksfield to Cowfords; R6-R7 – Troves to Balnacoul Wood; O5 (except the easternmost extent) – Forres Enterprise Park to Kintrae.

If routes are chosen which pass to the north of both Elgin and Forres, the section of the dual carriageway though Moray will be up to 18 per cent longer.

However, the southern routes pass through significant flood plain areas, requiring the dual carriageway to be built on top of raised embankments, which would bump up the cost.

MSP Richard Lochhead is encouraging residents and businesses to look at what the changes will mean and share their views with Transport Scotland.

He said: “The dualling of the A96 is the biggest infrastructure project Moray will have ever seen and will bring huge benefits to our communities and the local economy.

“It is vital that at the end of the process we have the best possible route selected and it’s good to see that process moving forward with a number of options now removed by Transport Scotland following considerable engagement with local communities.”

The new A96 will impact all those who live in or near Forres, whichever route is selected by Transport Scotland.

A number of residents who believe that the concerns of the community are not being given enough attention in the selection process formed FAA96CG. Members believe that only the community as a whole can define what that best outcome is, and that this is best addressed through the co-creative process, as used for the A9 in the Dunkeld and Birnam area. As a result, FAA96CG’s sole aim getting the Scottish Government’s Transport Minister to agree to the use of the process on the possible routes for the new A96 through the IV36 postcode area.

A request was made some time ago but the group is still waiting for a response.

FAA96CG spokesman, Tom Hardie said: “This is the largest civil engineering project in Moray since the arrival of the railways and is more than likely to have a huge impact upon Forres.”

Visit www.faa96cg.co.uk to get involved.

Residents now have until September 14 to give their opinions on the remaining options for the local section of the A96 dualling project.

Transport Scotland’s new route options can be viewed in full on its website. Type “A96 update” in the search box.

To register your opinions email a96dualling@transport.gov.scot

Alternatively, post a letter to A96 Dualling Team, Transport Scotland, Buchanan House, 58 Port Dundas Road, Glasgow G4 0HF.