Transport Scotland has confirmed its intention to award the first major contract to a joint venture of Wills Bro Civil Engineering and John Paul Construction for a 7.5km section of the A9 between Kincraig and Dalradd.

Work under the £35m contract will include widening the single carriageway to a dual carriageway along the five-mile route.

The contract, which is £15m less than the Scottish Government originally estimated, is subject to a mandatory standstill period and will be awarded in the coming weeks.

Ground investigation work is scheduled to be initiated next month between Glen Garry and Dalraddy, which will help inform the ongoing design work for the central section of the A9.

"The improved road will provide overtaking opportunities in both directions, cutting the number of vehicle convoys and reducing driver frustration."

Scotland Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities Keith Brown said: "The Scottish Government’s ambitious programme for the A9 between Perth to Inverness is now well underway with dualling set to start on this first section shortly and designs now at various stages along the route.

"We have been able to again make considerable savings on one of our infrastructure projects, following significant contract awards for the M8 M73 M74 Motorway Improvements Project and the AWPR/Balmedie-Tipperty last year, due to our robust procurement process which ensures that all the efficiencies that can be put in place have been implemented.

"The improved road will provide overtaking opportunities in both directions, cutting the number of vehicle convoys and reducing driver frustration.

"It will also support businesses, communities and tourism throughout Scotland by improving access to and from the Highlands."

The £1.1m contract for ground investigations between Glen Garry and Dalraddy is expected to be awarded to Raeburn Drilling and Geotechnical.

Work under this A9 project will start six months earlier than planned, following expected savings made from the Scottish Government’s Queensferry Crossing project.

Construction at the southern section of the project will run mainly in parallel, to west of the A9, before crossing over and providing widening to the east of the route where it meets with the northern section.