One of the MSPs in the running to become Scotland’s First Minister is promising to publish a revised timetable for the dualling of the A9 road by June this year if she’s elected to the job.

The Press and Journal says Kate Forbes warns failure to do so could result in a completion date of 2050 or later which she described as “unacceptable and unthinkable”.

Ms Forbes, who is currently finance secretary, is quoted as saying: “Industry tells me that they want the A9 to be dualled from Perth to Inverness by the end of this decade, but only provided the way the work is procured changes radically.

“They say that unless this happens it may take till 2050 or even beyond to finish the job. That is unacceptable and unthinkable.

“Not only because a car is a necessity for most Highland people, not some kind of luxury item, but also because, as we have seen so tragically last year, it is a matter of life and death.”

The newspaper adds that Ms Forbes wants Transport Scotland to work collaboratively with the civil engineering industry to devise means, whether by framework agreement or otherwise, to accelerate the progress.

Scotland’s Transport Minister has apologised for delays to the project.

(Picture – Transport Scotland)