Wills Bros in line for £220m A9 Pitlochry dualling contract

Wills Bros is set to land a £220m contract to dual the A9 between Pitlochry and Killiecrankie. Transport Scotland has named the civil engineering contractor as its intended winner for the 6.4km stretch. Formal award follows the mandatory standstill period (a pause letting losing bidders challenge the decision).

The scheme carries symbolic weight beyond its price tag. It will be the fifth A9 dualling scheme to move into construction. It is also the last let under the programme's project-by-project tendering model.

The remaining five construction packages will run through a new £1.9bn framework (a standing panel of pre-qualified contractors). The framework allows early contractor involvement, a more balanced approach to risk allocation, and greater contractor influence over design development.

Who else is chasing the £1.9bn framework?

Wills Bros is among five bidders pursuing places on that panel. The shortlist:

• Wills Bros
• Balfour Beatty/Morrison Construction JV
• Graham
• Hochtief
• Kier

All five have been invited to submit final tenders across two value lots. Framework appointments are targeted before the end of the year.

Lot 1 will hold three packages worth less than £400m each. Lot 2 will carry two larger schemes. Contractors can win places on both lots but will still compete for individual construction contracts. Those jobs will use NEC4 fixed-price or target-cost arrangements (standard UK construction contract formats) with early contractor involvement.

What does the Pitlochry scheme actually deliver?

The Pitlochry to Killiecrankie job will build new grade-separated junctions (overpasses or underpasses replacing at-level crossings), active travel routes and flood mitigation measures. It will help take the proportion of the A9 dualled between Perth and Inverness to 50% by 2030.

Advance works are already underway. They include archaeological investigations, tree felling and demolition of vacant properties. Around £33m of work is expected to flow to SMEs and suppliers local to the site.

Economy, tourism and transport secretary Stephen Flynn said: "This contract award marks another significant milestone in the Scottish Government's £3.97 billion investment to dual the A9."

What comes next on the A9?

First up under the new framework is the £553m Dalraddy to Slochd section north of Aviemore. Procurement for the 25km scheme is due to start this winter. Award is targeted for autumn 2027, with opening by the end of 2032.

Further contracts will follow in phases. The final Crubenmore to Kincraig award is scheduled for autumn 2030. Transport Scotland aims to complete the full Perth to Inverness dualling programme by the end of 2035.

For contractors, the shift matters: five firms, two lots, and a decade of A9 work still to bid on through 2035.