A joint venture of Atkins and Mouchel has been named preferred bidder for the last of three £40M design contracts for the A9 dualling programme in Scotland, with more design engineers soon to join the 200 construction professionals already working on the scheme.
This £3Bn project involves the upgrade of 80 miles of single carriageway along the A9 between Perth and Inverness. Atkins/Mouchel will carry out detailed design work on a section between Dalraddy and Inverness – the most northerly of the three design contracts awarded.
Subject to the mandatory standstill period the joint venture will start work on this 5km section of the route next month and will mobilise its workforce in the coming weeks.
Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities Keith Brown said: “The appointment of the final design contractor for the mammoth A9 dualling project marks another significant milestone.
“The £120M we are investing in its detailed design, coupled with the start of construction on the first section to be dualled expected next summer, underlines our determination to deliver the entire dualling programme by 2025.”
The first and second of the three design contracts were awarded earlier in the year. CH2MHill/Fairhurst is working on a 43km stretch of the A9 between Glen Garry and Dalraddy, while Jacobs was appointed for the 51km Pass of Birnam to Glen Garry section.
Mr Brown added: “The programme is securing jobs here in Scotland and opening up new opportunities for our young people looking to start their careers.
“A dedicated workforce based in Scotland of more than 200 are now working on the many complex strands of the A9 dualling design programme, with the team expected to expand again soon.
“This has allowed us to secure graduate, apprenticeship and students positions for nearly 40 young people to ensure they gain steady work and valuable job experience – with more of these opportunities for young people to come in the very near future.”
Photo copyright Dave Conner and licenced for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
