Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth
There are three outcomes under the Helps Deliver Inclusive Economic Growth priority:
- Will get people and goods where they need to get to;
- Will be reliable, efficient and high quality; and
- Will use beneficial innovation
In 2026-27 we will invest nearly £1.2 billion in ensuring our motorway and trunk road network is safe, resilient and efficient, and over £1.6 billion will be invested in rail. We remain dedicated to the safe operation and maintenance of Scotland's trunk road and bridge network, using established and robust asset management and environmental principles, allowing it to contribute to Scotland's sustainable economic growth.
The Infrastructure Strategy was available for consultation in January 2026 and published alongside the InfrastructureDelivery Pipeline, which sets out major Scottish Government capital investments, including transport. Parliament will be updated on the Pipeline every six months, which will be revised alongside future Spending Reviews, allowing projects to move from development into the Delivery Pipeline once business cases and funding are approved. Transport projects within the pipeline align with the second Strategic Transport Projects Review and wider government investment plans. We will continue to support value‑for‑money, sustainable and innovative infrastructure and services through a strategic, systematic procurement approach.
We will continue to progress the dualling of the A9, with construction ongoing on the Tomatin to Moy and Tay Crossing to Ballinluig contracts, and continue procurement for the Pitlochry to Killiecrankie project. We will commence the procurement process for the £1.94 billion Framework Agreement to deliver the remaining sections of the A9 Dualling Programme with the first being the Dalraddy to Slochd project.
We remain committed to dualling the A96, with the commitment to progress the A96 dualling included in the Scottish Spending Review 2026 along with the Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline 2026. With land acquired for the A96 Dualling Inverness to Nairn (including Nairn Bypass) and the A9/A96 Inshes to Smithton schemes, Transport Scotland will continue to take forward the work to determine the most suitable procurement option for delivering these projects and further develop the Business Cases.
We are committed to delivering a permanent and resilient infrastructure solution to address the landslip risks at the A83 Rest and Be Thankful as a priority and as quickly as possible. We will therefore continue to progress the remaining elements of the medium-term improvements along with the long-term solution through the statutory authorisation process.
We will continue to progress development and assessment work to realign the A75 around the settlements of Springholm and Crocketford with a view to identifying a preferred route option in 2027. We will continue to develop our proposals for the wider A75 and A77 corridors as previously recommended in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review.
We will complete the temporary propping and jacking of the eastbound M8 Woodside Viaduct by Autumn 2026 and continue with propping and jacking of the Westbound viaduct.
We will sponsor and work with Scottish Rail Holdings, continuing to encourage and promote robust governance, clear accountability and strategic alignment of the Scottish Ministers' priorities to ensure that Caledonian Sleeper and ScotRail Trains focus on the affordable delivery of high performing and efficient rail passenger services.
We will continue to support Regional Transport Partnerships (RTPs) to help them to plan, develop and implement a range of transport programmes across the whole of Scotland which contribute to their Regional Transport Strategies. For further information on the work of RTPs, please refer to the chapter titled Regional Transport Partnerships: 2025 Progress and 2026 Priorities.
We are continuing to deliver the major vessels programme with MV Glen Rosa at the Ferguson Marine shipyard and three major vessels at the Cemre shipyard. The MV Isle of Islay was delivered in 2026 and will serve Islay and Jura. We awarded the contract for Phase 1 of the Small Vessel Replacement Programme in 2025, we are progressing the business case for Phase 2 and we have started the procurement process for the replacement of the MV Lord of the Isles.
We will continue to support essential ferry services to connect island and remote communities with the direct award to CalMac Ferries Ltd to operate services on the Clyde and Hebrides network which took effect from 1 October 2025. In addition, we will produce, maintain and implement a long-term plan and investment programme for development at ports to improve resilience, reliability and capacity. Further to this, Transport Scotland will deliver an investment programme for vessel replacement.
We have progressed the business cases for infrastructure works at major ports. In 2025, we completed the infrastructure upgrade works at Canna port and Uig harbour (terminal building). This year will see the commencement of Cumbrae slipway re-construction projects as well as completion of the Mallaig overnight ferry berth works. We have also announced funding of over £107 million for the redevelopment of Port Ellen, with new terminal facilities and an additional marshalling area to improve capacity and passenger experience, with works starting this year. These investments will strengthen resilience, improve connectivity, and support island communities.
We have concluded the purchase negotiations and wider legal agreements for acquisition of Ardrossan harbour. This purchase secures the port in public ownership and allows for full focus to move towards redevelopment of the facility.
We will continue to engage with the relevant local authorities and stakeholders around the recommendation that further work is undertaken on business cases to better understand the benefits, costs and challenges associated with a Sound of Harris fixed link, a Sound of Barra fixed link and a fixed link between Mull and the Scottish mainland.
We will continue to engage with local authorities, transport partnerships, industry and other stakeholders to promote growth and respond to local resilience challenges. We continue to work collaboratively with major event organisers and support transport plans, which will include this year’s Royal Highland Show, the Commonwealth Games, the BBC Radio 2 Summer Session in Stirling and the International Airshow in Ayr.
We will support sponsor bodies, Caledonian Maritime Assets Ltd (CMAL), David MacBrayne Ltd (DML) and Scottish Canals, to ensure all necessary action is taken to allow each Board to deliver on Scottish Ministers objectives, including financial stewardship and governance oversight of each individual body.
We will work with the renewables industry, including Scottish Power Energy Networks (SPEN) and Scottish and Southern Energy Networks (SSEN) and regional and local partners to identify opportunities for transport to further support renewable energy development.
We will continue to provide technical assurance to SPT, as further progress is being made on the Case for Investment for Clyde Metro. This key stage of the development process, which will inform decisions around network selection, phasing and implementation is expected to be completed by early-2027.
We will continue to work respectively with Nestrans and SEStran on the development of Mass Transit proposals for the North East and Edinburgh and the South East area. This will include guiding and supporting the development of the necessary transport appraisal and business case(s).
Substantial maintenance and renewals projects will continue across the Scottish rail network, including preparation for the major renewal of signalling and track at Perth in 2028. Targeted initiatives and improved joint working between Network Rail and ScotRail in response to the Scottish Ministers’ requirements are expected to be implemented to further improve train performance and reliability, and to continue to respond and adapt to demands such as severe weather events and climate change.
We are considering the outcomes of local and regional proposals for new stations on Scotland’s railway network, for example at Newburgh and Winchburgh, including assessing the case for investment, alignment with our rail investment strategy, public value and contribution to government priorities. In 2025, we supported local and regional stakeholders to explore whether there is a case for investment for various proposed new stations.
In 2025, we supported the continued procurement of ScotRail’s Intercity Fleet Replacement and the initiation of procurement of ScotRail’s Suburban fleet. In 2026, we will continue to support the procurement processes and preparation for entry into service, including the imminent award of the Intercity Fleet Replacement contract.
We remain committed to supporting Highlands & Islands Airports Ltd. (HIAL) to maintain operations at 11 airports. Our continued funding provision for HIAL will enable the ongoing operation of safe and regulatory compliant airports. We will also fund the operation of the Glasgow to Campbeltown, Tiree and Barra air services and contribute towards the Dundee to London and Wick to Aberdeen air services. We will continue to fund the Air Discount Scheme keeping funding under review.
We will help grow Scotland’s international aviation connectivity, while not returning to previous levels of emissions, by implementing the relevant actions in the Aviation Statement. In 2025, the Scottish Government’s route development team, which includes Transport Scotland and VisitScotland, continued work to help grow international connectivity important for inbound tourism, business connectivity and the economy as a whole. This work will continue in 2026, recognising aviation’s role as an important enabler for so many other parts of the economy.
The 2026 Scottish Budget announced that the Scottish Government will bring forward a Private Jet Supplement within the new Air Departure Tax (ADT) which will be introduced in April 2027. The supplement is envisaged to be part of ADT in the financial year 2028-29 and we will engage with the UK Government to seek further devolution to allow private jet ‘ghost flights’ to be addressed in the interim period.
We will upgrade and reconfigure rail power supplies to support existing and future electrification of our railway – with a further four electrical power feeder stations to enter service by 2027. The Newton feeder station in Lanarkshire will be completed and will enter service in 2026, and work will continue at the Portobello, Tweedbank and Thornton feeder station sites, in line with the programme.