Infrastructure Investment Plan progress report for 2015

Transport

A9 Dualling Perth to Inverness: Development work underway with the route options assessment work nearing completion. A public local inquiry for the Luncarty to Birnam section was held in 2015. The £35 million contract for the first section of the A9 Dualling to be constructed between Kincraig and Dalraddy was awarded to a joint venture of Wills Bros Civil Engineering and John Paul Construction. Work is now underway and is expected to be completed by summer 2017.

A96 Dualling Inverness to Aberdeen (Design): The outcome of the preliminary engineering and Strategic Environmental Assessment work for the dualling programme east of Nairn to Aberdeen work was presented to over 2,000 members of the public at a series of exhibitions along the A96 corridor in May 2015. In addition a £30 million design contract to take forward the development, assessment and promotion of the preferred option for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) was awarded in May 2015 with a view to publishing draft Orders later in 2016 for formal comment.

Forth Replacement Crossing: The budget was further reduced in December 2015 by £50 million to between £1.325 billion and £1.35 billion, and it remains on schedule to open to traffic in December 2016. In 2015, the project employed an average of just under 1,200 people on site. To date, 296 of the 530 subcontract opportunities (56%) have been awarded to Scottish firms (total value approximately £137 million). 34,501 of the 38,228 supply orders (90%) on the Principal Contract (worth £127 million) have been awarded to Scottish companies.

Edinburgh to Glasgow Rail Improvements Programme: The programme remains predicated on a capital outturn cost of £742 million for Phase 1 and that it will be fully delivered by March 2019. Phased delivery will enable more affordable and achievable implementation, delivering programme aims and ensuring best value.

Borders Railway: The project was completed on budget and programme at a total cost of £353 million (construction costs estimated at £294 million, at 2012 prices), with service commencement in September 2015.

Aberdeen - Inverness Rail Improvements: Phased programme improvements to the railway infrastructure in the North east of Scotland over period 2014 - 2030 will deliver shorter journey times. The introduction of high speed trains from summer 2018, and increased service provision will deliver enhanced connectivity. Phase One on programme is scheduled to reach completion by 2019 with an agreed investment of £170 million. Future phases of the project will help support an hourly service between Aberdeen and Inverness, with an average journey time of around 2 hours.

Highland Main Line : Phased programme of improvements to the railway infrastructure between Perth and Inverness, and onwards to the Central belt over the period 2014-2025. This will provide shorter journey times, the introduction of high speed trains from summer 2018, and increased service provision will deliver greater connectivity for both passenger and freight services. Phase Two of the project is scheduled to be delivered between 2014 - 2019, and aims to achieve a further average journey time reduction of approximately 10 minutes, an hourly service and increased opportunities for freight.

M8, M73, M74 Motorway Improvements: The NPD contract was awarded in February 2014. The project will upgrade the A8 Baillieston to Newhouse, completing the M8 motorway between Glasgow and Edinburgh, including improvements to the M74 Raith Interchange and widening of key sections of the M8, M73 and M74, and is expected to be completed in 2017.

Aberdeen West Peripheral Route (including Balmedie to Tipperty): This NPD contract was awarded in December 2014, with lower costs than originally estimated. Completion is expected by winter 2017. The project will provide substantial benefits across the whole of the north east and will provide a boost to the economy; increase business and tourism opportunities; improve safety; cut congestion as well as increasing opportunities for improvements in public transport facilities. The roads are scheduled to open by winter 2017.

Glasgow Subway Modernisation: Up to £246 million Scottish Government funding to enable Strathclyde Partnership for Transport ( SPT) to deliver new trains, refurbish stations, upgrade signals and improve accessibility. During 2015-16, work continued on station improvements including on accessibility. The procurement process for new trains and signalling system is also well underway.

Glasgow's Fastlink: £35 million contributed to fund the core scheme delivered through Strathclyde Partnership for Transport providing dedicated bus infrastructure between the city centre, SECC and Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and Royal Hospital for Children, opening in 2015.

A82 Improvements Design: Route option assessment work on plans to upgrade the ten mile stretch of the A82 between Tarbet and Inverarnan has been completed with the preferred route option announced in September 2015.

The Ullapool - Stornoway Ferry: ( MV Loch Seaforth) (£41.8 million) formally entered service on the route in May 2015 with the associated harbour infrastructure investment at Ullapool (£17.9 million) and Stornoway (£8.5 million).

Works for the redevelopment of Brodick started on 11 January 2016 and are due to be completed around mid 2017 and are part of a major investment of around £30 million to secure a safe, efficient and reliable ferry terminal and service. The contract is worth over £22.2 million and the Scottish Government will support the project by providing a £17.8 million investment.

The Third hybrid ferry ( MV Catriona) was recently launched at Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd Shipyard on 11 December 2015. The contract value is £12.3 million.

On 16 October 2015 a contract for two 100 metre dual fuel vessels for Uig Triangle and Ardrossan-Brodick services was awarded to Ferguson Marine Engineering Ltd. The contract value £97 million plus approximately £9 million CMAL project management costs. The formal steel cutting ceremony was undertaken on 16 February 2016.

Marine works at Kerrera involving two new slipway extensions plus the installation of a breakwater on the south side of the extended Kerrera slipway started on 4 January 2016 and are scheduled to be completed by the end of June 2016. The contract value is £1.7 million.