Wills Bros Civil Engineering has been named preferred bidder for the fourth section of the A9 Dualling Programme between Tay Crossing and Ballinluig – a £152.7m contract.

The announcement of the preferred bidder is the final phase in the procurement process which, subject to the successful completion of a mandatory standstill period, will conclude with the award of the contract.

The £152.74m contract is part of the Scottish Government’s £257m investment in the A9 Dualling: Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project. It is anticipated that the new dual carriageway will be operational by end of 2028 at which point 45% of the A9 between Perth and Inverness will be dualled.

In addition to enhancing journey time reliability and safety for road users through dualling, the contract will deliver a new side road network to improve access for the local communities of Dowally, Guay and Kindallachan; provision of a new overbridge at Guay South and a new underbridge at Kindallachan and enhanced active travel routes and local path networks to improve access to and from the Highlands.  

Cabinet secretary for transport, Fiona Hyslop, said: “This announcement demonstrates further progress on delivery of our plan to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness. Our intention to award the contract for Tay Crossing to Ballinluig illustrates continued momentum in our delivery plan for dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

“When work commences on this section, we will have active dualling works at both the southern and northern extents of the programme’s corridor – a clear sign of the momentum behind our delivery plan.

“In addition to the improvements delivered through dualling, this investment will provide lasting social value to the communities and businesses local to these areas.”

She added “steady progress” was being made to ensure the full route between Perth and Inverness is dualled by 2035.

The news comes as it has also been announced procurement has started for the fifth A9 Dualling programme contract, for the Pitlochry to Killiecrankie project. A contract notice published by Transport Scotland notified contractors and their supply chains of the £205m contract opportunity, which is expected to be awarded in autumn next year.

Transport Scotland’s project manager for the section, Joel Morrison, said: “This £205m at Q2 2025 prices contract for the section between Pitlochry and Killiecrankie will make the A9 more resilient and safer and will develop and upgrade active travel routes in the area, making them safer and more enjoyable for the local community and tourists. We look forward to working with contractors over the next year or so to deliver the best value for money through our procurement process for this next exciting section of dualling.”

The Pitlochry to Killiecrankie contract 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.

The publication of the contract notice follows a virtual industry information event held in early July which provided information on the upcoming opportunity to the industry. Award of the contract for the section is anticipated in autumn 2026 with dualling expected to be operational by the end of 2030.