A9

[denfinella]

If I had to drive from Aberdeen to Inverness again I'd do what I did last time and go via Lecht - a quicker road and much more pleasant a drive.

I'm getting a bit off topic now, but I'd also recommend going Aberdeen - Huntly - Dufftown - Grantown - Carrbridge - Inverness. Makes use of the faster part of the A96 and then diverts through Speyside. I typically used to find it marginally quicker then using the A96 for the whole way.

[litljortindan]

If I had to drive from Aberdeen to Inverness again I'd do what I did last time and go via Lecht - a quicker road and much more pleasant a drive.

I'm getting a bit off topic now, but I'd also recommend going Aberdeen - Huntly - Dufftown - Grantown - Carrbridge - Inverness. Makes use of the faster part of the A96 and then diverts through Speyside. I typically used to find it marginally quicker then using the A96 for the whole way.

I see that also avoids Elgin, an occasional bastion of congested traffic.

[Sunset tripper]

To get the A9 completed on time and under budget they could always put a toll on it. Especially for hillwalkers who are already spending a fortune on cars, fuel, gear, beer and accommodation. Surely another £5 or £10 is insignificant, and you get a decent road to whisk you to the hills more quickly and safely.

[al78]

Question is why are improvements to that road taking so long? Are they employing contractors from SE England?

[Giant Stoneater]

If I had to drive from Aberdeen to Inverness again I'd do what I did last time and go via Lecht - a quicker road and much more pleasant a drive.

I'm getting a bit off topic now, but I'd also recommend going Aberdeen - Huntly - Dufftown - Grantown - Carrbridge - Inverness. Makes use of the faster part of the A96 and then diverts through Speyside. I typically used to find it marginally quicker then using the A96 for the whole way.

I see that also avoids Elgin, an occasional bastion of congested traffic.

The A9 was supposed to be finished 2025 and has been extended to 2030, the A96 is supposed to be duelled by 2030 i would not hold my breath on this happening the way things are going.

[CharlesT]

Question is why are improvements to that road taking so long? Are they employing contractors from SE England?

Balfour Beatty if you're interested.

[al78]

Question is why are improvements to that road taking so long? Are they employing contractors from SE England?

Balfour Beatty if you're interested.

It was a rhetorical question. Roadworks around Sussex and Surrey regularly seem to take forever (and look at how long they have been installing a smart motorway on the M6 with speed restrictions), so was half-heartedly wondering if the same trundlebunnies were working on the A9.

[Sunset tripper]

I wouldn't mind if they did pull the plug on the A9 dualling. I'd much rather see the A82 Inverness to Fort William overhauled, though not sure what can really be done with it given the terrain. I believe it's now statistically the deadliest road in Scotland.

Yes indeed, the A82 is a road I use often, travelling from Inverness. Unless I am leaving before 6AM I use the road on the southside of Loch Ness which is very quiet and has several long straights if you do need to pass something. You can miss out Fort Augustus completely also. The last few times I have been down that way, which has been quite recently, Fort William has become a real bottle neck, on one occasion the traffic queueing well out of town to the north.

Cant see much being done about that in the near future though.

[Lightfoot2017]

Great news Martin. Thanks for that update... I'm heading up that way tomorrow to finish off my Cairngorm Munros.

I would echo what others have said about the A96 between Aberdeen and Inverness. Its obscenely overlooked in terms of traffic safety and - for decades now - has been in need of attention in particular stretches.

Also, as another poster has said here, I'd be interested to see what impact the Greens have in Govt. They're dead agin increasing roads capacity of course. But - speaking purely personally - their policies appear great in theory, but are pie-in-the-sky stuff in reality. Shame the A9 duelling wasn't completed before they got their feet under the table at VQ.

[iain_atkinson_1986]

I wouldn't mind if they did pull the plug on the A9 dualling. I'd much rather see the A82 Inverness to Fort William overhauled, though not sure what can really be done with it given the terrain. I believe it's now statistically the deadliest road in Scotland.

Yes indeed, the A82 is a road I use often, travelling from Inverness. Unless I am leaving before 6AM I use the road on the southside of Loch Ness which is very quiet and has several long straights if you do need to pass something. You can miss out Fort Augustus completely also. The last few times I have been down that way, which has been quite recently, Fort William has become a real bottle neck, on one occasion the traffic queueing well out of town to the north.

Cant see much being done about that in the near future though.

Yeah, I've started using the road on the east side of Loch Ness more now too. It's really not as bad as I thought it was the first few times I did it but I don't think I'd go near it in winter.