A9 Killiecrankie to Glen Garry

This 22 km road from Killiecrankie to Glen Garry is being upgraded to dual carriageway as part of a wider programme to improve the A9 between Perth and Inverness.

We have completed DMRB (Design Manual for Roads and Brides) Stage 3 and published the draft Orders and Environmental Statement for the project in November 2017. The draft road Orders define the line of the proposed route from Killiecrankie to Glen Garry with the draft Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) defining the extent of the land required to deliver the project.

A Public Local Inquiry (PLI) was held in January 2020 and overseen by a Reporter appointed by the Planning and Environmental Appeals Division (DPEA) of the Scottish Government. We are currently awaiting the Reporter’s recommendation to be issued to Scottish Ministers.

See details of the plans for completion of this project

Community engagement is a priority with all of our projects. Working with those affected by the A9 dualling programme is at the heart of our planning and we regularly run engagement events to consult local communities, road users, businesses and individuals as our plans are progressed.

Public information events - October and November 2018

Public Information Events are being held on 31 October and 1 November 2018 in Killiecrankie Village Hall as part of the A9 Dualling Killiecrankie to Glen Garry project.

This is to present information on the results of the recent archaeological investigations in the Killiecrankie Battlefield and the design refinements that have been undertaken since publication of the Draft Orders and Environmental Statement in November 2017.

Details of the events

• Wednesday 31 October 2018, 3.00 pm to 7.00 pm
• Thursday 1 November 2018, 11.00 am to 3.00 pm

At Killiecrankie Village Hall, Killiecrankie, PH16 5LG.

• Materials presented at the events (Including a narrated presentation, and details of the archaeological investigations in the Killiecrankie Battlefield)

Previous public engagement events

Details of previous engagement events and exhibition material to download:

April 2017

• 5 & 6 April 2017 – Public drop-in session – design developments

November 2016

• 24 & 25 November 2016 - design developments

March 2016

• 8 & 9 March 2016 - preferred mainline route

June 2015

A public exhibition was held in Blair Atholl Village Hall on 2 June 2015 (11 am – 4 pm) and 3 June 2015 (4 pm – 8 pm) to let the public view and comment on initial design work, including route and junction options, for the Pitagowan to Glen Garry dualling project.

• Pitagowan to Glen Garry exhibition panels
• Pitagowan to Glen Garry leaflet
• Pitagowan to Glen Garry feedback form
• Pitagowan to Glen Garry junction options
• Pitagowan to Glen Garry route options

The report on this exhibition has been published

May 2015

A public exhibition was held in Killiecrankie Village Hall on 27 May 2015 (11 am – 4 pm) and 28 May 2015 (4 – 8 pm) to let the public view and comment on initial design work, including route and junction options, for the Killiecrankie to Pitagowan dualling project.

• Killiecrankie to Pitagowan exhibition panels
• Killiecrankie to Pitagowan exhibition leaflet
• Killiecrankie to Pitagowan feedback form
• Killiecrankie to Pitagowan junction options
• Killiecrankie to Pitagowan route options

The report on this exhibition has been published

Public Exhibitions for the A9 Dualling Killiecrankie to Glen Garry project were held in Killiecrankie and Blair Atholl on Wednesday 13 and Thursday 14 December 2017.

The DMRB (Design Manual for Roads and Bridges) Stage 3 is complete and the draft Orders and Environmental Statement for the project were published for formal comment on 28 November 2017. The draft road Orders define the line of the proposed route from Killiecrankie to Glen Garry with the draft Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) defining the extent of the land required to deliver the project. Representations in relation to the draft Orders, including objections, can be made in writing to Transport Scotland by 23 January 2018.

• Information presented at the public exhibitions
• Exhibitions summary report

An artist’s impression of the scheme has been developed:

• Public exhibition - Visualisation, December 2017

The section of the A9 between Killiecrankie and Glen Garry presents some challenges including:

• minimising impacts to Killiecrankie Battlefield
• construction challenges are present due to extensive lengths of rock outcrops along the route
• there are areas designated as both SSSI (Site of Special Scientific Interest) and GCR (Geological Conservation Review) sites
• minimising land use impacts on farms and estates
• crossing River Garry
• providing safe access to adjacent communities and properties.

A major metal detecting survey was undertaken in August 2015 on the site of the Battle of Killiecrankie. This work unearthed new finds and improved our knowledge of Scotland’s military history of the 1689 battle between the Jacobite army and Government forces.

The survey also provided further information for developing the plans to dual the A9 between Killiecrankie and Pitagowan.

• Further details of the survey and findings

The Draft Orders and Environmental Statement for the A9 Dualling Killiecrankie to Glen Garry project were published in November 2017. Following concerns about impact on the battlefield at Killiecrankie, archaeological investigations identified in the Environmental Statement were brought forward.

The investigations, which were undertaken in June 2018, comprised geophysical survey, metal detecting and trial trenching. No archaeological remains were identified within the road line by the geophysical survey whilst the trial trenching also did not identify any archaeological remains. This included the possible burial pits which were confirmed to be natural features.

A total of 18 hectares were surveyed as part of the metal detecting and 1,432 metal objects were found, 33 of which may relate to the battle and include lead shot, buckles and horseshoes.

The three reports completed as part of the investigations are available below.

In addition the reports, Transport Scotland and our design consultants Jacobs UK Ltd have prepared an online Geographic Information System (GIS) platform which brings together in one place the mapped locations of the archaeological investigations at Killiecrankie Battlefield undertaken in 2003, 2015, 2016 and 2018. It also shows the A9 Dualling proposals in the area, including the design refinements on display at the Public Information Events on 31 October and 01 November 2018.

The platform also illustrates an analysis of the battlefield’s topography, the understanding of choreography of the battle and areas of previously disturbed land which is based on a review of aerial photography, local information and walkover surveys.

There's an instructions ‘i’ icon on the top right of the page to help navigate the platform, and the legend gives an explanation of the visible layers which can be turned on and off.