SNP Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop is facing pressure to publish an overdue review of the A96 dualling scheme days into her new role.
The minister faced questions around the long-awaited upgrade between Aberdeen and Inverness during a visit to the Highland capital on Wednesday.
The SNP promised over a decade ago to fully dual the trunk road by 2030.
The programme is currently subject to a “climate review” which was ordered after the Greens joined the SNP in government in summer 2021.
But publication of the review’s findings have been delayed three times and is already more than a year later than first expected.
Ms Hyslop told the P&J she expects the full review with recommendations to report back to her “imminently” after which decisions will be taken.
She said: “I’m expecting it soon but I can’t unfortunately give you a date today.”
She visited Inverness on Wednesday for her first official engagement where she gave an update on the A9 dualling project between Perth and Inverness.
Asked if budget pressures could hamper the project to dual the A96, the transport secretary said financing is “always going to be a challenge”.
“With the decisions, the UK Government has taken, there is going to be a 10% reduction in capital infrastructure”, she added.
“So I need to temper anything I say with transport, whether it’s to do with roads, rail or any other area. But the reality is we’ve got the most difficult capital infrastructure circumstances that I’ve ever seen in government.”
‘Appalling’
The P&J revealed in December that the review and public consultation has cost taxpayers almost £5 million so far.
Government transport chiefs said the bill is “not unreasonable given the length and complexity of the corridor subject to the review and the extent of the work being carried out to complete it”.
The review was initially due to report by the end of 2022 but it has been delayed three times since.
Liam Kerr, Tory North East, claimed the “appalling” delays on an A96 announcement are an attempt to “kick the proposals into the long grass”.
The party’s north-east MSPs said they have been collectively asking for a meeting with Ms Hyslop to demand progress is made on fully dualling the route.
But they have so far had no response from the former transport minister who was promoted to cabinet in a reshuffle last week.
He added: “Rather than trying to cover up for her party’s failings, Fiona Hyslop and the SNP need to get out of first gear, publish this needless review, and get on with fulfilling their 2011 promise of dualling the A96.”
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