Ewing: Nairn bypass ‘granddaddy of all undelivered Scottish Government pledges’

A former minister has described his party’s failure to deliver on its Nairn bypass commitment on time as the “granddaddy of all undelivered Scottish Government pledges”.

Fergus Ewing told Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop the A96 pledge was first made by the SNP in 2009 and became a government pledge in 2011.

He described it as the “longest undelivered promise of the Scottish Government”.

Appearing before Holyrood’s petitions committee on Wednesday, Mr Ewing – the former rural economy secretary – asked Ms Hyslop to provide assurance that the bypass would be completed.

“Although I don’t want to dwell on what now is classified as ancient history,” he said, “the pledge to deliver a Nairn bypass was first made by our party, Cabinet Secretary, in 2009 and it became a government pledge in 2011.

“It’s been repeated, as far as I know, at seven general elections.

“That must make it the daddy or the granddaddy of all pledges – the longest undelivered promise of the Scottish Government that is extant now.”

Mr Ewing asked the Transport Secretary to provide a “clear and unambiguous assurance” that a ministerial statement would be delivered before the next election in 2026 setting out a detailed timetable on the delivery of the A96 project, including the Nairn bypass.

The Transport Secretary said a timetable could only be determined once the “full stages of the process” were completed, including the acquisition of land, which will take place from April 21.

Ms Hyslop said she was “open” to making a statement before Parliament but wanted to be able to provide “as much information” as she could first.

Earlier in the committee, the minister told MSPs that the UK Government’s autumn budget – which provided nearly £5 billion in extra spending over two years for Holyrood – was a “step in the right direction”.

But she said it would not make up for “14 years of underinvestment”, before adding: “Austerity cannot be undone in one year.”

Despite the significant pressures we are facing on our capital budget, we continue to progress improvements to the trunk roads network.

She told MSPs: “Despite the significant pressures we are facing on our capital budget, we continue to progress improvements to the trunk roads network.

“This includes the A96 dualling Inverness to Nairn, including the Nairn bypass, with the procedural steps for the acquisition of land now concluded, delivering a further key milestone for the scheme.

“We also continue to progress work to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and thereafter a timetable for delivery can then be set.”