Transport Scotland - A96 Dualling programme costs and responses: EIR release

Information requested

​​​​​​“Specifically, I request:

1. The current total expenditure on the A96 Dualling Programme, including all works associated with the corridor review and compulsory purchase of land, since the figure of £89,370,698.78 was last reported (https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400421478/ )
2. A detailed breakdown of these costs, including but not limited to:

• Design and planning
• Land acquisition and compensation
• Construction and engineering works
• Environmental assessments and mitigation measures
• Any other relevant expenditures

3. Any forecasts or projected costs for the completion of the remaining phases of the programme.”

Response

As the information you have requested is 'environmental information' for the purposes of the Environmental Information (Scotland) Regulations 2004 (EIRs), we are required to deal with your request under those Regulations. We are applying the exemption at section 39(2) of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA), so that we do not also have to deal with your request under FOISA.

This exemption is subject to the 'public interest test'. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exemption. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exemption, because there is no public interest in dealing with the same request under two different regimes. This is essentially a technical point and has no material effect on the outcome of your request.

Response to your request:

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested. Under the terms of the exception at regulation 10(4)(a) of the EIRs (information not held), Transport Scotland is not required to provide information which it does not have. This exception applies to the response to the second part of your request for information. Transport Scotland does not have the information you have requested because Transport Scotland does not hold a detailed breakdown of the costs for each of the entries you have requested under the second part of your request however, the information we do hold is provided below.

This exception is subject to the ‘public interest test’. Therefore, taking account of all the circumstances of this case, we have considered if the public interest in disclosing the information outweighs the public interest in applying the exception. We have found that, on balance, the public interest lies in favour of upholding the exception. While we recognise that there may be some public interest in the requested information, clearly, we cannot provide information which we do not hold.

1. The current total expenditure on the A96 Dualling Programme, including all works associated with the corridor review and compulsory purchase of land, since the figure of £89,370,698.78 was last reported ( https://www.gov.scot/publications/foi-202400421478/ )

The total spent on the A96 Dualling Programme including the A96 Corridor Review, up to date of your request is £91,952,168.36.

2. A detailed breakdown of these costs, including but not limited to:

• Design and planning
• Land acquisition and compensation
• Construction and engineering works
• Environmental assessments and mitigation measures
• Any other relevant expenditures

Breakdown of costs

Design, Planning and Preparation Costs - £91,467,623.78 has been spent to date on design, planning and preparation (including environmental impact assessments, environmental surveys, ground investigation surveys, consultations, etc). This figure comprises expenditure on design, planning and preparation associated with the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) scheme, A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers scheme, A96 Dualling East Huntly to Aberdeen scheme, A96 Corridor Review, A96 Preliminary Engineering Support Services, A96 Strategic Environmental Assessment, and A96 Dualling Outline Business Case.

	Design, Planning and Preparation Costs (£)
A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass)	33,265,060.62
A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers	23,747,736.90
A96 Dualling East Huntly to Aberdeen	23,250,965.00
A96 Corridor Review	6,858,371.08
A96 Preliminary Engineering Support Services	1,536,081.67
A96 Strategic Environmental Assessment	389,061.67
A96 Dualling Outline Business Case	2,420,346.84

Land Acquisition and Compensation Costs - £484,544.58 has been spent to date on land for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) scheme.

	Land Acquisition and Compensation Costs (£)
A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass)	484,544.58
A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers	Nil
A96 Dualling East Huntly to Aberdeen	Nil
A96 Corridor Review	Not applicable
A96 Preliminary Engineering Support Services	Not applicable
A96 Strategic Environmental Assessment	Not applicable
A96 Dualling Outline Business Case	Not applicable

​​​​​​​3. Any forecasts or projected costs for the completion of the remaining phases of the programme.”

A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass)

The latest published total scheme cost estimate for A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) indicated a cost estimate range of £375 million to £475 million (excluding non- recoverable VAT, at 2014 prices).

With the statutory authorisation process complete, Transport Scotland is taking forward the necessary work to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering the scheme and an update to the Outline Business Case which includes an update to the total scheme cost estimate. Thereafter a timetable for progress can then be set in line with available budgets.

A96 Corridor Review

The estimated cost of “Refined Package” lies within the range of £501 million to £1 billion (at 2023 prices, excluding non-recoverable VAT), compared to £2.5 billion to £5 billion for dualling the A96 from east of Nairn to Aberdeen (at 2023 prices, excluding non-recoverable VAT).

A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers

Under regulation 6(1)(b) of the EIRs, we do not have to give you information which is already publicly available and easily accessible to you in another form or format. Details of the A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers scheme cost estimate are outlined in the DMRB Stage 2 report provided in the link below.

DMRB Stage 2 Assessment Report - Hardmuir to Fochabers - A96 Dualling | Transport Scotland

A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen

Details of the A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen scheme cost estimate are outlined in the DMRB Stage 2 report provided in the link below.

DMRB Stage 2 Assessment Report – East of Huntly to Aberdeen - A96 Dualling | Transport Scotland

Please note that since commencement of the A96 Corridor Review, design development of the A96 Dualling Hardmuir to Fochabers and A96 Dualling East of Huntly to Aberdeen schemes have been paused pending the outcome of the Review and the Scottish Government’s final decision on how best to take forward improvements to the A96.​​​​​​​

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at https://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.