The shortlist of contractors for construction of the fifth section of the A9 – from Pitlochry to Killiecrankie – has been confirmed as the dualling programme continues to gather pace.

The three contractors participating in the next stage of the competition for the Transport Scotland contract to upgrade approximately four miles (6.4km) of the A9 to dual carriageway are Balfour Beatty Civil Engineering, Kier Transportation and Wills Bros Civil Engineering.

Cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: “The government is continuing to meet the planned milestones in our delivery plan for completion of the A9 Dualling Programme. 

“This next phase in the procurement process will see an intensive period of ongoing discussions as each of the contractors work to refine their outline design proposals. This is part of our approach to drive value for money for the Scottish taxpayer.

“We expect to award this contract in autumn next year and when construction is complete for this section it is anticipated that almost 50% of the A9 between Perth and Inverness will be dualled, demonstrating this government’s commitment to complete this vital infrastructure improvement.”

The £205m (estimated at Q2 2025 prices) Pitlochry to Killiecrankie project involves building or upgrading nine bridges, including a substantial new crossing of the River Tummel alongside the existing Tummel Bridge; a new bridge alongside the existing Clunie Bridge over Loch Faskally and a new rail bridge over the Highland Mainline Railway.

The section also includes provision for safe walking and wheeling crossing points and improved access for non-motorised user travel routes, including the Rob Roy Way.

Over the coming months, participants will take part in a period of dialogue, at the end of which they will be invited to submit final tenders.  Contract award is expected to be made in autumn 2026 following evaluation of the final tenders and dualling is expected to be operational by the end of 2030.

The Pitlochry to Killiecrankie project will be the third contract in the A9 Dualling Programme to be delivered using Transport Scotland’s amended NEC4 Engineering and Construction contract.  The contract for this project will also feature a carbon reduction fund, which is a capped fund that can be drawn on by the successful contractor to provide additional financial support to achieve reductions in carbon emissions that may otherwise be uneconomic.

The project aims to leave a meaningful and lasting legacy for local communities by fostering inclusive economic growth and social value. This includes creating training and development opportunities, promoting fair working practices and wellbeing for all personnel involved and supporting small and medium-sized enterprises through local subcontracting.

The project also seeks to deliver educational benefits to local schools through initiatives like the Academy9 programme, which connects pupils with real-world infrastructure learning experiences.