Nairn representatives react to SNP’s Programme for Government 2025/2026 with anger sparked by lack of new progress on Nairn Bypass scheme

Lack of progress on development of the Nairn Bypass has been dubbed disgraceful by local representatives.

Last week First Minister John Swinney unveiled his Programme for Government outlining priorities for the next 12 months leading up to next year’s Holyrood elections.

It contained no significant updates on dualling of the A96 between Inverness and Nairn including the Nairn Bypass have been shared, stating only an objective of “progressing work to determine the most suitable procurement option” - a position held for the past year.

Inverness and Nairn Fergus Ewing said he fears this might mean the Scottish Government has “parked” the issue until the election, subject to making a statement at the tail end of the year or start of the next.

He said: “Recently, after my intervention, the petitions committee have written to (cabinet secretary for transport) Fiona Hyslop seeking answers to several questions posed.

“When will it start and finish; why not use the massive capital budget of £6 billion a year — so both roads (the A9 and A96) will only use up a small proportion of the total over the next 10 years.

“Repeated refusal by Scottish Government ministers — four in four years — is disgraceful.

“Yet not one word of contrition or humility has been offered.”

Nairn Provost Laurie Fraser called the latest lack of any meaningful update yet another disappointment from the government.

“They don’t need to do the full dualling — what is most urgent is for Nairn to have a bypass, whether it’s dual carriageway or a two-lane,” he said.

“Even just that would help with future planning for the next year later. But this is just more disappointment for us.”

Alastair Noble, chairman of Nairn Improvement Community Enterprise (NICE) and one of the main drivers of the recently-published local place plan, said: “Nairn needs its infrastructure sorted.

“Nairn needs a bypass, and that's a very definite singular statement, and that's what has come out very clearly from our local place plan.”

In order to move forward he said it is vital for all stakeholders to work together, having “open and honest conversations” about they way forward.

“This constant preoccupation with how they fund it in the sense of the procurement exercise - that's almost so far down the road it doesn't matter,” he said.

“The commitment should be to build the road. Make sure it's the right road and make sure it's done with productivity and value for money in mind.

“It's very obvious that productivity in Nairn has gone dramatically down — and it has been worsened by traffic sitting at Delnies now.

Lucy Harding, Nairn BID manager, said: “It’s extremely disappointing to see that the A96 is merely a footnote in the SNP’s Programme for Government, despite them putting it in their manifesto.

“It really feels as though they do not understand or indeed care about the significance of this important corridor which connects major towns and cities.

“The only way that we can grow in this region is to be well connected to each other along the A96 and therefore to the rest of Scotland.

“Nairn is growing at a fast rate, but it needs the infrastructure to be able to support that. The SNP need to commit to their promise.”

Do you want to respond to this article? If so, click here to submit your thoughts and they may be published in print.