The Scottish Government is being urged to publish a ‘long overdue’ assessment on the A96 Dualling project ahead of the budget announcement this year.

Scottish Green spokesperson for transport, Mark Ruskell MSP, has accused the SNP government of being ‘insincere’ in their climate commitments if it is investing billions in a road that could increase emissions.

SNP ministers announced proposals to dual the route between Aberdeen and Inverness in December 2011 with a target completion date of 2030.

But the project was delayed in summer of 2021 after the SNP and Greens formed a government and a review of the scheme including a climate compatibility test was ordered.

The Bute House Agreement, however, has since been abandoned, after Humza Yousaf ended the coalition before resigning, and now First Minister John Swinney keeping the door shut on the Scottish Greens.

Mr Ruskell is now calling on the publication of the project’s Climate Compatibility Assessment ahead of the Scottish budget for 2025/

The Green MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife has written to the Cabinet Secretaries for Net Zero, Finance, and Transport calling for answers ahead of any further agreements on spending for the project. 

Mr Ruskell said: “We are heading for climate catastrophe, and we must do everything in our power to invest in solutions rather than making the problem worse.

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“We badly need to reduce our dependency on cars, but the Scottish Government’s commitment to do so looks insincere if it is also pouring billions of pounds into major road-building projects that will only increase emissions.

“This climate assessment is long overdue, and is badly needed before the government commits any more money to the project.

“Car-use is responsible for almost 40% of transport emissions. We need a more balanced approach to the A96 focussed on safety improvements, and this climate compatibility assessment should be spelling out what the options are.

“The eye watering sums that have been earmarked could be far better used to improve public transport, which in turn would cut our emissions and provide better transport choices for people across Scotland.

“The Scottish Government has just reintroduced peak rail fares, hiking up prices for workers and students who have no say over when they travel. This could be scrapped entirely for a fraction of the money it plans to spend on dualling the A96.”

In 2016 it was reported that the cost for dualling the road would be around £3 billion but that figure is expected to have increased due to inflation and the rising price of building materials.

As of August this year, the Scottish Government confirmed that £89 million had so far been spent on the project. The sum included figure comprises expenditure on the dualling between Inverness and Nairn, including Nairn Bypass, preliminary engineering support services, but it was also stated that the Strategic Environmental Assessment was part of the spending so far.

In response, a Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “We remain committed to improving the A96 and will take forward an enhancements programme along the corridor that improves connectivity between surrounding towns, tackles congestion and addresses safety and environmental issues. 

"The current plan is to fully dual the route and, as part of this process, we are undertaking a transparent, evidence-based review of the programme, which includes a Climate Compatibility Assessment and other statutory assessments.

“The significant interest in the review’s initial consultation, with nearly 4,600 responses, generated 11,000 options to improve the corridor and it’s only right that appropriate time has been taken to examine and fully appraise these. It is expected that the draft outcomes from the Review will be consulted on in due course before a final decision can be reached.

“The evidence-led transport appraisal that supports the A96 Review, along with the feedback from stakeholders, will assist in planning how transport improvements along the corridor are prioritised and the review’s outcomes will inform our timescales going forward.”