Engineering services firm Jacobs has secured a multi-million pound contract from the Scottish Government for the A9 dualling programme.

Transport minister Keith Brown has announced that the contract for dualling the 32-mile stretch between the Pass of Birnam and Glen Garry will be an attempt to improve Scotland’s longest trunk road. The contract is said to be worth between £40-£60m.

Brown said: "This second major contract is another step forward for this mammoth project and underlines our determination to bring forward benefits to road users as soon as we can.

"This second major contract is another step forward for this mammoth project and underlines our determination to bring forward benefits to road users as soon as we can."

"This multi-million pound investment also complements other work being progressed on the ground to improve the safety and performance of the A9, with the installation of average speed cameras for implementation this October and ground investigation work is also progressing well on the Kincraig-Dalraddy scheme, which we expect to begin construction in 2015."

Jacobs will start work on the project after the mandatory standstill period next month.

"Make no mistake, the government wants to see improvements delivered as soon as possible and we are doing everything possible to bring forward elements of the scheme," added Brown.

"We remain on track to deliver half of the 80 miles of new upgraded road by 2022, with completion expected by 2025."

The final contract between Dalraddy and Inverness is expected to be awarded by the end of this year.