If this fantasy is ever built then how much change will there be from £1 billion?
CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » Debate!
Is dualling the A9 really that bad?
(622 posts)-
Posted 1 year ago #
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Safety campaigners criticised the roundabout as “regressive” and said local people’s views were “not adequately considered”, but welcomed the proposed slip roads, known as “grade separated junctions”, at Birnam and Dalguise.
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Posted 1 year ago # -
Massive tarmac overdose. Love the fact that the railway is still not shown as electrified or improved.
Dunked Station has just had its platforms extended and raised for longer trains. They were still at height built in 1850.
Train in video is only three coach though and moved in odd way unlike road traffic ;-)Posted 1 year ago # -
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A promise to fully dual the single carriageway between Perth and Inverness by 2025 was first made in the SNP’s 2007 manifesto, with plans to widen around 80 miles of road in 11 sections formally set out in 2011.However, little more than 11 miles – in just two sections –were dualled in 12 years.
Six miles of the trunk road from Moy to Tomatin, south of Inverness, are currently being upgraded under a £185 million contract.In 2023, the Scottish Government admitted the dualling would now not be completed until 2035 at the earliest.
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Posted 1 year ago # -
@chdot - having been up and down the A9 to Inverness a couple of weeks ago on delivery job (not driving) I can see how tough it's going to be to meet the target without creating huge roadwork delays.
As it was we had to pass Tomatin twice with only 10 minutes of stop start.
Once moving we really stayed in a chain of vehicles regulated by HGVs. Average speed cameras means overtaking to speed up is at risk of a fine.
Junctions with inadequate slip roads are one big hazard. Tomatin work is huge and my driver noted contractors from Kelso have been attracted to this concrete fest. Drainage is big issue and also noted the cycle way NCN1 had been re-routed on a gravel bike course. Once in Inverness I counted three cyclists (one 'workie' and two lycra) and two runners. Everyone was driving everywhere as around 5pm so cyclists and runners on pavements to overtake car queues.Posted 1 year ago # -
@laidback "Had to pass Tomatin twice?" Queues?
I first went up A9 in early 1960's, which was then pretty un'improved'
Moving to work there with BR we were just commissioning the brilliantly economical capacity improvements, which added 4 new passing loops, strategically placed on the regulated system, so that along with the existing stations (with passing loops) trains heading North/South would neatly manage to arrive at a passing loop to cross, leaving much of the line single, including the viaducts - built for double track but remaining single track
At a midway point there's a 23 mile 'dynamic loop' with intermediate block sections (Auto) so that trains can fire over Druimoachdair and pass, plus 2 trains chugging through the loop in same direction, this was doubled around early 1900's but reduced back to single track until 1980s capacity restoration
Curious note on NCN7 - which bit?
I made the case in late 1990's that with the cast away bits of the old A9 and the bits of the improved A9 chopped off when the dual carriageway bits were added through Killicrankie and from Dalnaspidal to the summit, plus a huge straight chunk of Wade's original road about 60% of a cycle route was in place by using the bits of abandoned road even bits built barely 30 years ago, whilst the railway has been there for over 150 years, and apart from the double track, especially for the South section to Stanley the capacity of the whole line was managed by the single track, loops and 3 routes North of Aviemore
Some of the cycle route formation used the gravel dredged from upper pond above the dam on the Garry (where the pipeline cuts over to fill Loch Tummel from the Garry, for the Pitlochry Hydro Electric plant, as an available local alternative to importing material, as it had to be moved anyway
Using local material, as with forestry roads can be much cheaper then tarmac for remote locations and if done properly & drained properly gives a smooth & secured surface
Posted 1 year ago # -
@Tulyar - the queue going towards Inverness took 20 mins of stop start. On return we sailed through following a convoy of HGVs heading south. They set the speed to Pitlochry. One car did manage to move a few spaces up but average speed cameras do calm things mainly.
From a public transport point of view the dualling projects will ensure that drive times will often take longer than a train. Drivers can't expect endless A9 roadworks not to cause delays and frustration.
The NCN diversion bit was near Tomatin at the huge works to manage drainage of expanded tarmac. Looked passable if a bit rough. Gravel bike ready!
Posted 1 year ago # -
Local taxi driver is going to be hampered by dualling road works south of Pitlochry. While drivers want the improved road the next set of works will increase journey times.
Popular taxi journeys are to Edinburgh Airport (US or Quatar / Emirates customers don't flinch as taxi can make the airport in an hour and twenty minutes while staying inside speed limit). Now these journeys will take longer for maybe two years. Life is full of contradictions! Knock on effect is he'll be less available for local journeys.Posted 1 year ago # -
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The work to dual the remaining single-carriageway sections was originally due to be finished by 2025 - but that deadline has slipped by a decade to 2035.
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Posted 12 months ago # -
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The Scottish Government is poised to use a Welsh Government initiative using private funding to help pay for dualling the A9“
Posted 11 months ago # -
30 minute Eòrpa special on the A9.
Usual arguments but some in Gaelic with subtitles. Worth it to see the massive works at Tomatin. Just imagine if some of that was used on the single track railway.
Warning: this episode contains Fergus Ewing. ;-)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m002hq3h/eorpa-series-33-7-the-a9Posted 11 months ago # -
Cycled through Dundee on Monday. The infamous Swallow Roundabout has now been remodelled to include a safe cycle crossing to take you on small roads up to Newtyle and towards Blairgowrie. Not bad at all.
If the A90 can cope with a level grade light controlled junction then maybe some of the flyovers planned for A9 could be replaced with this approach? Took six months to build.Posted 11 months ago # -
LibDem party political broadcast this week led with A9.
Leader Alex Cole Hamilton in his Ford Mustang heading north and meeting people.
https://youtu.be/LAih0M1UgMg?si=ZqXcbjuXOVtvnKk0
The LibDems have supported rail improvements in past but the 'must dual the A9 mantra' is actually accepted as a normal view by every party at Holyrood except the Greens.
Since that video was made extra bus journeys are now on the A9 corridor. Unlike single track rail it's possible to run a bus every hour on even the existing road. Flix/CityLink/Ember can do the journey as fast as 3 hours and 22 minutes but often over 4 hours.
Railway could offer an hourly service if some sections of track were doubled at a relatively modest cost.Posted 6 months ago # -
https://www.thenational.scot/news/25997025.public-local-inquiry-launched-proposed-a9-dualling/
More money could be spent on bypassing Dunkeld station than on the Highland railway? Really no need to have such complex infrastructure. The A90 operates with a lot less.
Posted 4 months ago # -
A9 may be getting a new junction. All go at Perth West.
THE £500 million Perth West development masterplan has been unanimously approved by councillors this week.
Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) expects to be the first developer on site next year with the construction of an A9 underpass to the site from Tweed Place and employment land, marking the start of a city expansion that could last 30 years.
Moving the plans for approval on Wednesday, April 23, Economy and Infrastructure Committee convener Grant Laing asked that concerns about traffic and water management be fully addressed.
While the masterplan and planning permission in principle has been agreed, each part of the development will require separate detailed planning applications for approval.
The masterplan includes the Perth Eco-Innovation Business Park, a bus depot, a hydrogen fuelling/electric charging centre, the Perth Innovation
Highway, up to 1500 homes, business units, shops, hotels, food and drinks outlets, a primary school potentially with sports pitches, a healthcare centre and a heritage park.Modern life in Scotland is so retro now. In the past there would have been a public transport and non driving element. Edinburgh can hardly talk though as the West Craig development has yet to build a direct path to Edinburgh Gateway station.
Posted 4 months ago # -
If those figures are correct they are talking about building 50 homes a year on average.
Posted 4 months ago # -
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John Swinney
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And he blamed the trams for the slow progress on the dualling of the A9 between central Scotland and the Highlands, saying the funding of Edinburgh’s original tram project took money away from the road scheme.
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Posted 3 months ago # -
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These two factors intertwine with the case of the A9, where the key road is increasingly congested as the main route connecting North to South.
An explosion in tourism – spurred on by the enduring popularity of Harry Potter and Outlander – the presence of heavy good vehicles (HGVs), and the everyday commute of local residents has led to the road reaching its capacity, impacting driving time and safety.Train passing through Galabank on the Borders Railway (Image: Peter Devlin)
This is expected to continue to grow – potential up by 50% in peak season by 2050. The SNP have made commitments to expand its capacity by duelling the road, but Dennis warns they risk turning the issue into a political dogma that is more symbolic in nature than it is effective.“Reducing long-distance private traffic is crucial” if we want to make shorter, local journeys made by private car or bus easier and cheaper, he said. In the case of the A9, many of the key rail connections already exist, with the Highland Main Line running along much of the route, offering the key connection between Glasgow and Inverness.
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Posted 3 weeks ago # -
@chdot
Another corridor is the A82 – which suffers from similar congestion to the A9 with intersecting demand from locals, tourists and industry – between Inverness and Fort William.
Not only could this remove pressure on the struggling local road networks around the towns and scenic hikes while likely offering panoramic views of some stretches of the Great Glen, but it would also open up a new north-south link to tie in with the wider network.Great Glen railway was half built from Spean Bridge to Fort Augustus. Landowners around Loch Ness would still be a huge barrier.
Disused concrete viaduct at Letterfinlay.
Posted 3 weeks ago # -
Yesterday was one of the most disrupted travel days around Perthshire since winter flooding.
We were booked on Ember to Pitlochry but luckily heard about crash and bailed out at Perth. Village shop/cafe was full of stranded drivers. They were lucky ones as others got stuck at HGV crash near Straloch. People stuck there for up to 5 hours till 10pm.
Others stuck in Aberfeldy.
Nothing to do with dualling road as original fatal accident was solo vehicle, but just goes to show how improvements on that corridor could help bus operators too as not enough capacity to cover Flix/CityLink/Ember by rail when things go bad.
Our local bus was on time as A924 empty due to blockage beyond village.The A9 has reopened after a crash in Perthshire partially closed the road for six hours.
(C) CourierThe key transport route was closed in both directions near the junction for Dalguise, north of Dunkeld, at around 10.30am on Monday.
It fully reopened at around 4.35pm, but congestion is still being reported on several of the surrounding roads.
It has not been confirmed if anyone was injured but an air ambulance, ambulance, critical care team and a special operations response team were all called to the scene.
Drivers faced major delays of up to 1 hour and 50 minutes following the incident.
Traffic is understood to have been particularly severe in Aberfeldy, and on stretches of the A826 and A827 near the village.
There were also reports of “gridlocked” traffic on the A924 between Pitlochry and Kirkmichael.
Local and long-distance buses suspended due to A9 crash
Scottish Citylink has warned passengers to expect “severe delays” on services between Perth and Inverness, which were either being diverted or terminated early.Docherty’s Midland Coaches also suspended its 34A service between Dunkeld and Aberfeldy, stopping as far as Dunkeld.
Posted 1 week ago # -
We were on our way south by car on the A9 from a holiday in Inverness* yesterday, and ended up stuck in stationary traffic a mile or so north of the incident, so probably it had occurred just a couple of minutes before we arrived. Once we saw the air ambulance circling we decided to turn in the road and head back to Ballinluig and the road to Aberfeldy.
We actually adjourned to Weem (what a splendid name for a place) where we went for a forest walk near Menzies Castle and watched from a distance as the road through Aberfeldy ground to a halt.
We came home via Killin, Callander and Stirling.
We watched with interest the effect that the Google/Wayze routing algorithm has on traffic. It was clear that as the major roads got progressively gummed up, the algorithm was gradually picking smaller roads and longer routes (presumably optimising travel time). At the time it told us to go via Aberfeldy, the roads through the town were showing 'green' on Google Maps. By the time we got close to Aberfeldy they were red. By the time we left Weem, the roads through Aberfeldy, up the hill beyond and most of the way to Perth were red or black.
It took us all day to get home, but that did include quite a bit of unplanned forest walking and eating of all the food in the car (of which there was plenty).
*some remarkably promising cycle infrastructure being built there...
Posted 6 days ago # -
We came back from Aberfeldy past the enormous site for the dualling work a few weeks back, where I was concerned that the large and steep heaps of soil next to scooped-out sections of formerly tree-stabilised banks wouldn't be a great place to be if there was much heavy rain.
Posted 6 days ago #
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