Multimillion-pound design work for the upgrade of a key stretch of the A96 will start within months.
Transport Scotland has published a contract worth up to £50million for a 29-mile section of the vital Inverness-Aberdeen dualling project.
It covers the route from just east of Auldearn to east of Fochabers and was hailed last night by politicians and business leaders as a “fantastic” step forward for the scheme.
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities Keith Brown described the announcement as a “milestone” in the massive road improvement scheme.
He added: “The programme will deliver a number of benefits, including improved journey time and reliability, improved connectivity and improved road safety for all those who use this key artery connecting two of Scotland’s economic hubs.”
Mr Brown said the hefty contract helped to underline the “significant investment” the Scottish Government had ploughed into the nation’s transport network.
Mr Brown said: “This contract will provide the successful bidders with steady work for years to come, as well as many more opportunities for small and medium enterprises through subcontracted work, so it will be a boost for the local and national economy.”
Stewart Nicol, chief executive of Inverness Chamber of Commerce, said last night: “It’s great to see work progressing on the A96 as well as the A9. It’s really important, we need both pieces of infrastructure done.
“Aberdeen, despite the challenges of the oil sector, is the oil capital of Europe and the road is completely inadequate.
“It says it all that it takes the same amount of time to get there by train as by road.”
Moray Economic Partnership chairman John Cowe said: “I’m delighted the contract for the second design stage has been put out, and also that it is for the Auldearn to Fochabers section.
“That is something we have been pushing for and this is great news for Moray.”
Transport Scotland has committed to delivering a dualled A96 between Inverness and Aberdeen by 2030.
A £30million design contract for the first stage of the programme, at Nairn, was awarded in June and will include the long-awaited creation of a bypass around the town.
In May a series of exhibitions on the A96 dualling plan toured the region giving residents the opportunity to discuss the scheme with Transport Scotland officials and contribute feedback.
Environment Secretary and Moray MSP Richard Lochhead said: “The dualling of the A96 in Moray is now closer to reality than ever.
“There will be challenges along the way but overwhelmingly the view expressed to me is that Moray needs this and the announcement is very welcome.”