A9 Dualling: Dalraddy to Slochd Environmental Statement NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY August 2018 A9 DUALLING: DALRADDY TO SLOCHD ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Preface This document is the Non-Technical Summary (NTS) of the Environmental Statement (ES) for the A9 Dualling: Dalraddy to Slochd project. The project is proposed by Transport Scotland, an agency of the Scottish Government. Copies of the ES and the draft Road Orders The ES (including this NTS) and draft Road are available to view during normal office Orders may also be viewed online at www. hours at the following locations: transport.gov.scot/projects/a9-dualling-perth- to-inverness/a9-dalraddy-to-slochd/ Transport Scotland Printed copies of the ES (including the NTS) Reception, 9th floor may be obtained at a charge of £150, Buchanan House or a copy on disk is available for £10, by 58 Port Dundas Road writing to Transport Scotland. Printed Glasgow, G4 0HF copies of the NTS are available free of Tel. 0141 272 7236 charge from the same address or by email to: [email protected]. 8.30am - 5pm (Mon - Thu) 8.30am - 4.30pm (Fri) Any person wishing to express an opinion on the ES should write to Transport Scotland at the address above. Formal representations High Life Highland are invited until six weeks after the advertised Aviemore Community Centre date of the publication of the ES. Muirton, Aviemore, PH22 1SF Tel. 01479 813140 8am - 10pm (Mon, Wed, Fri) 7am - 10pm (Tue, Thurs) 10am - 4pm (Sat) 10am - 3pm (Sun) The Highland Council (Service Point) Castle St, Inverness, IV1 1JJ Tel. 01397 707213 9am - 5pm (Mon, Tue, Thur, Fri) 10am - 5pm (Wed) SPAR/Post Office Main Street, Carrbridge, PH23 3AS Tel. 01479 841697 7am - 8pm (Mon - Fri) 7.30am - 7pm (Sat) 8.30am - 6pm (Sun) A9 DUALLING: DALRADDY TO SLOCHD ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Contents SECTION 1 // INTRODUCTION 3 Introduction 5 Environmental Impact Assessment 6 SECTION 2 // THE PROPOSED SCHEME 7 Need for the Scheme 9 Scheme Objectives 9 Alternatives Considered 10 Design Development 11 The Proposed Scheme 12 Delivering the Proposal 12 Consultation 13 SECTION 3 // ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACTS AND MITIGATION 15 People and Communities – Community and Private Assets 17 People and Communities – Effects on All Travellers 19 Geology, Soils and Groundwater 20 Road Drainage and the Water Environment 21 Ecology and Nature Conservation 22 Landscape 23 Visual 24 Cultural Heritage 25 Air Quality 25 Noise and Vibration 26 Materials 27 Policies and Plans 27 Cumulative Effects 28 SECTION 4 // ENVIRONMENTAL PLANS 29 SECTION 01 Introduction A9 DUALLING: DALRADDY TO SLOCHD ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Introduction The A9 Trunk Road forms a strategic link on Scotland’s transport network between the Scottish Highlands and Central Scotland and is vital to the prosperity and development of northern Scotland. In 2009 the Strategic Transport Projects The Dalraddy to Slochd project (referred to Review (STPR) identified dualling of the in this NTS and in the ES as the Proposed A9 as a priority action and subsequently Scheme) comprises dualling of approximately the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure 25km of the existing A9. It will involve Investment Plan (IIP) in 2011 and 2015 widening and upgrades to the existing confirmed the commitment to upgrading carriageway and the provision of three major the A9 to dual carriageway standard junctions (south of Aviemore (Aviemore between Perth and Inverness by 2025. South), at Granish and Black Mount). The programme of individual projects The Proposed Scheme incorporates localised required to achieve this was subject to a diversions of public roads, four left turn only Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA, junctions (directly onto the A9), new and 2012-2014) to consider environmental upgraded private accesses, new underpasses constraints and sensitivities as well as and lay-bys, road drainage, and watercourse opportunities for enhancement. crossings including a new crossing of the River Dulnain. A new bridge over the Highland Mainline railway at Slochd Beag and improvements to footpaths and a cycleway are also notable components. The northern gateway to Cairngorms National Park at Slochd A9 DUALLING: DALRADDY TO SLOCHD ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Environmental Impact Assessment An Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) of Further details about the likely significant the Proposed Scheme is required under European impacts of the Proposed Scheme can be found and Scottish legislation. The ES reports the within the ES. findings of the EIA which has been undertaken EIA is an important design tool, providing the in line with relevant guidance including the opportunity to avoid or minimise potentially Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB), adverse environmental impacts through Volume 11 - Environmental Assessment. iterative design. Information gathered through The purpose of the EIA is to examine the likely consultation, surveys and technical studies significant impacts of the Proposed Scheme on has informed the design process, enabling the environment. potentially significant impacts to be addressed, where practicable, either by modifying the This NTS presents a summary of the ES, Proposed Scheme design, or identifying including key aspects of the Proposed additional measures to mitigate impacts. Scheme and the associated beneficial and adverse impacts considered to be of particular importance. 6 // A9 Dualling: Dalraddy to Slochd; Environmental Statement // Non-technical Summary SECTION The Proposed 02 Scheme A9 DUALLING: DALRADDY TO SLOCHD ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY The Proposed Scheme Need for the Scheme Scheme Objectives The need for dualling the A9 has been The aim of dualling the A9 between recognised for some time and has been Dalraddy and Slochd is to improve the the subject of a number of studies. The operational performance and level of service A9 Route Action Plan and Route Strategy of this section of the A9, in line with the (1995-1997) endorsed carriageway dualling, objectives set for the A9 dualling as a whole. amongst other improvements, and later the The A9 Dualling Programme objectives set by Strategic Transport Projects Review (2009) Transport Scotland, are as follows: promoted full dualling of the A9 between • To improve the operational performance Perth and Inverness. of the A9 by: The Scottish Government committed to - Reducing journey times; and upgrading the A9 between Inverness and - Improving journey time reliability. Perth by 2025 in the first and subsequent • To improve safety for motorised and non- Infrastructure Investment Plan (2011 and motorised users by: 2015). More recently, the A9 Dualling: Case for Investment 2016 highlighted a high level - Reducing accident severity; and of stakeholder support, particularly amongst - Reducing drivers stress. the local business community, for the A9 • To facilitate active travel within dualling programme. the corridor. National planning policy reflects the Scottish • To improve integration with Public Government’s commitment with the Transport facilities. inclusion of A9 dualling in National Planning Framework 3 (NPF3) (2014). NPF3 states: ‘The dualling of the A9 between Perth and Inverness and improvements to the Highland Main Line railway will provide a step change in accessibility across the rural north, increase business confidence and support investment throughout the region’. The current single carriageway sections between Dalraddy and Slochd can lead to vehicles being held up by slower moving traffic. This can cause driver frustration potentially giving rise to dangerous driving. Upgrading the road to dual carriageway will reduce driver frustration, provide opportunity for safer overtaking and prevent right turn manoeuvres across the carriageway. The Proposed Scheme is required to improve the safety of the A9 which will reduce accident rates and severity. A9 DUALLING: DALRADDY TO SLOCHD ENVIRONMENTAL STATEMENT NON-TECHNICAL SUMMARY Alternatives Considered In 2012, Transport Scotland commissioned The aim of the DMRB Stage 2 assessment a preliminary engineering assessment of process was to examine environmental, the A9 Perth to Inverness route. A SEA was engineering and economic factors and to completed in parallel and assessed the potential consider the merits of each option with regard to environmental impacts of dualling the entire these factors. The process included desk studies, route. The outcome of the studies was a field surveys and ongoing consultation with recommendation of dualling within an online stakeholders and the public. corridor of 200m width (i.e.100m either side of The DMRB Stage 2 assessment concluded the existing A9 carriageway) with localised off- that the option of predominantly southbound line sections where constraints precluded this. widening with a short section of symmetrical The Perth to Inverness route was then sub- widening in the vicinity of Aviemore (but divided into several individual schemes for more also incorporating two localised northbound detailed assessment. widening variations in the vicinity of Loch Alvie and at Avielochan) was the preferred option. A DMRB Stage 2 assessment for the Proposed Scheme was undertaken to develop and As part of the recommendations, scope for assess route alignment options and to identify refinement of the preferred grade separated a preferred alignment. Sifting exercises were junction options (specifically to investigate initially carried out for both the mainline the potential