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• Welcome to the A9 safety group Website

The A9 Safety Group aims to provide up-to-date and accurate information on Scotland’s longest road.

This site provides a comprehensive overview of the A9, with statistics, route information, driving tips and road campaigns. With an average 142,000 vehicles using the A9 every day, planning a safe and efficient journey is important.

Use the buttons below to view information on specific parts of the road.

​Dunblane to Perth

Driving tired? dontriskit.info

Substantial improvement after, average speed cameras.

The publication of A9 data today is significant as a full three years of data is now available following the introduction of the Cameras in October 2014.

The results show substantial improvements in safety, with 10 fewer deaths, 16 fewer people seriously injured and 96 fewer people slightly injured between Dunblane and Inverness in the 3 years following the activation of the cameras compared with the full 3 years preceding.

View the latest average speed camera data for the A9 road via the publications page.

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Why is there a row over Scotland's longest road?

• Published 9 August 2023
• comments Comments

People are being asked for their views about the project to upgrade Scotland's longest road.

The work to dual the remaining single-carriageway sections of the A9 between Inverness and Perth was meant to be finished by 2025.

But since 2011, about 11 miles of the road have been completed - leaving 80 miles still to be done.

Holyrood's public petitions committee has launched a consultation to gather views on how the work could potentially be carried out more quickly, such as dualling several sections at the same time. The consultation is linked to a petition raised by A9 safety campaigner Laura Hansler.

The A9 is often described as the spine of the Scottish road network.

The trunk road runs about 230 miles from Scrabster, near Thurso on the north Highland coast, to near Dunblane in central Scotland. The A9 then continues to near Falkirk.

It passes through some dramatic landscapes, with some sections following the lines of old military roads dating back to the 18th Century.

Its highest points are 1,516ft (462m) above sea level at the Drumochter summit and 1,315ft at the Slochd summit.

The first major revamps of the A9, in the 1970s and 1980s, included bypasses of more than a dozen towns and villages - but most of the road has remained single carriageway.

The journey time to travel the whole length of the A9 - without any breaks or delays - is about five hours .

Why do people dread driving it?

Few people who make regular trips on the A9 would admit to looking forward to their journeys, and many will be familiar with the words "take care on that road" from friends and family.

Journeys are frequently long, raising the risk of fatigue, and it is busy.

Transport Scotland figures say more than 65,000 people travel along the Inverness to Perth section every day, and traffic levels can be 50% higher in summer due to tourism and leisure-related journeys.

An estimated £19bn of goods are carried on the stretch each year and at times goods vehicles, including large articulated lorries, can account for up to 40% of daily traffic.

In winter, snow and ice can make driving conditions difficult.

Safety campaigners have blamed the mix of single and dual carriageway for causing confusion and leading to accidents - and there are concerns around driver behaviour.

The A9 Safety Group said more than 40% of fatal accidents on single carriageway sections of the A9 between 2008 and 2012 involved overtaking manoeuvres. It said excessive speeding was also a problem.

Last year the number of people killed in crashes between Inverness and Perth rose to its highest level in 20 years.

There were 13 fatalities, including a two-year-old boy and his grandparents who died after a crash at the Slochd, south of Inverness, in July last year.

The following month, three members of a family visiting Scotland from the US were killed at Ralia, also in the Highlands.

Along the full length of the A9 there were a total of 17 fatalities - the highest number for the entire road since 2009.

This sparked renewed calls from campaigners and politicians for the Scottish government to reaffirm its commitment to complete the dualling project by 2025.

What is the history of the project?

There have been calls for the Inverness to Perth stretch to be dualled for many years due to its strategic importance, connecting the Highland capital with central Scotland, and because of the number of accidents.

In 2008, the Scottish government said improving the road was a priority.

In December 2011, it committed to dualling the A9 between Inverness and Perth by 2025 - a timescale which was described as "challenging but achievable" .

Construction on the first section - the £35m, 4.6 mile Kincraig to Dalraddy stretch - started in 2015 and was completed in 2017.

The only other section to be finished to date was the Luncarty to Pass of Birnam project, which cost £96m and involved six miles of dual carriageway. Construction started in 2019 and it opened to traffic in 2021.

Nine sections remain to be built.

There are no plans to dual the A9 north of Inverness, where there are 104 miles of single carriageway from the Black Isle to Scrabster.

Why will the 2025 target be missed?

The Scottish government has described the A9 as one of the biggest infrastructure projects in Scottish history.

Before the excavators can move in there is a huge amount of planning, public consultation, in some cases negotiations on the purchase of land and statutory process to be worked through.

Some of the terrain poses civil engineering challenges. The section at the Slochd involves an area of rocky hills and deep gullies.

The government has also faced opposition to parts of the project, including a section at the site of the 1689 Battle of Killiecrankie .

In February this year, then Transport Minister Jenny Gilruth told MSPs that meeting the 2025 target was "unachievable" - although the commitment to finishing the project was "absolute".

She said the project had been hit by delays and highlighted inflationary pressures on the construction industry caused by the impact of the Covid pandemic, Brexit and the war in Ukraine.

The cost of the project had risen since the original estimate of £3bn was calculated in 2008. The new figure has yet to be confirmed.

A major sticking point for progress is the six-mile section between Tomatin and Moy.

There was just one bid to carry out the work on this stretch, and at a price significantly higher than expected. The contract will now be put back out to tender.

How have people reacted?

Following Ms Gilruth's announcement in February, there was anger and frustration from the public, business leaders and politicians.

The Conservatives warned that people would continue to die until the road was made safer, while Labour said missing the target was a "total betrayal to the Highlands".

SNP MSP Fergus Ewing told BBC Radio Scotland's Drivetime programme he was "appalled" and called for a public inquiry into the delay.

"I am pretty angry about all of this, mirroring the anger felt by hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland," he said.

Highland-based safety campaigner Laura Hansler, who lives near the A9, said she had been close to tears.

"I feel physically sick because my thoughts are closely with those who have lost loved ones on the A9," she said.

Jo De Silva, chairwoman of Visit Inverness Loch Ness, said there could be an economic impact due to the importance of the road to an area which relies heavily on tourism.

However, SNP MP Drew Hendry called for understanding of the reasons for the delay.

"I don't believe anyone thought that the A9 dualling could have been completed by 2025 against the background of a Brexit, imposed upon us, and the pandemic," he said.

The Scottish government has asked Transport Scotland to urgently consider a range of ways to efficiently dual the remaining sections, and further updates are expected this autumn.

What is being done to improve safety?

A network of average speed cameras was introduced in October 2014 in an effort to reduce casualty numbers while work continued on the dualling programme.

The number of fatalities dropped, before rising again last year.

In December last year, the Scottish government said it would spend about £5m in extra road safety measures by 2025.

There will be enhanced signs and road markings at key locations between Inverness and Perth, including work to highlight where the road changes between single and dual carriageways.

The A9 Safety Group has also run campaigns on overtaking.

A driver fatigue campaign was launched this year, and a "drive on the left" initiative for foreign drivers was held over Easter.

Related Topics

More on this story.

A9 work will not be completed by 2025 target

• Published 8 February 2023

Extra money announced for A9 safety measures

• Published 16 December 2022

Crash deaths on notorious road reach 20-year high

• Published 6 December 2022

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Travel | Travel: How to spend 6 perfect days in the…

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Travel | travel: how to spend 6 perfect days in the scottish lowlands.

When one dreams of vacationing in Scotland, it’s the Highlands and not the Lowlands that comes to mind. Don’t take our word for it; even the national tourism board touts the Scottish Highlands as “the Scotland of your imagination and the perfect backdrop for your next adventure” on its website. And on National Geographic’s list of “Best of the World” destinations, only the Highlands gets love.

OK, so the Scottish Lowlands isn’t home to the monstrously legendary Loch Ness, majestic Cairngorms National Park, a historically rich clan culture or the setting of Mel Gibson’s bloody good film, “Braveheart.”

But while that and more causes Scotland’s southern side to bow to its northern neighbor in terms of tourism, the Scottish Lowlands is no plaid-clad red-headed stepchild in a nation that — fun fact — has the world’s highest percentage of redheads with about 13% of the populace. Speaking of numbers, nearly one out of every four overseas visitors to the northernmost country of the United Kingdom arrives from the U.S., according to VisitScotland ( visitscotland.com ).

So, with that in mind and knowing how much we Yankees love an underdog story, let’s ponder highlights of a perfect six days exploring the Lowlands through an American’s eye — taking roads less traveled while taking in rolling hills, gentle valleys, rugged coastline and quaint towns each more gorgeous than the next.

Breezing through Edinburgh Airport, you shuttle to the city’s newest major hotel. The 244 rooms of the W Edinburgh, the first in Scotland for the upscale brand, are spread across three buildings, and yours is in the 12-story tower that sticks out from the traditional architecture around it. Mixed as the opinions are over the building’s “walnut whip” roof, staying at a hotel topped with a giant chocolate swirl comes in handy when finding your way back after a day of sightseeing by foot. Nestled in the heart of the newly trendy St. James Quarter, the W ( marriott.com ) is within walking distance of every must-see in the city center. Refreshed from down time in your gadget-happy suite, you’re ready to see just how perfectly located your hotel is. (Rates for a standard room start at $371 a night.)

Hoofing it to Edinburgh Castle, the city’s most iconic landmark, offers a lesson in 3,000 years of history at the site of ghastly battles dating back to the Iron Age. You could spend an entire day here, but an afternoon date with some bottles of booze have you leaving the castle for a quick visit to the nearby National Museum of Scotland and its countless artifacts.

A time check of 3:30 p.m. has you scurrying to the Scotch Whisky Experience ( scotchwhiskyexperience.co.uk ) for a pre-purchased tour that explains how single-malt Scotch whisky is made, but, oddly, not in the setting of a working distillery. It’s a trade-off because what you do get being in a purpose-built facility is the world’s largest collection of Scotch whisky, a breathtaking visual for the core audience, and a store with a whopping 450 types of the signature stuff. Nearly as impressive is that the prices are actually fair, but you know when to say when with your purchase of potent potables. Plus, there’s more walking to do and those bottles are heavy.

Window shopping along famous Princes Street leads to a short hike up Calton Hill for stunning sunset views. Being a Harry Potter fan, you check off Victoria Street, J.K. Rowling’s inspiration for Diagon Alley, and other sights around town believed to be connected to the global sensation.

Meandering in the direction of the W, you pop into one of many intriguing restaurants for dinner. It’s a quick one as the jet lag you’ve been fighting since seeing the “Welcome to Scotland” sign at baggage claim is finally winning.

Of course, you order the “Scottish Breakfast” at the W’s Sushisamba restaurant, which by night serves up a fusion of Japanese, Brazilian and Peruvian flavors. Your cardiac-challenging platter comes with haggis, Lorne sausage, grilled back bacon, fried eggs and black pudding, which you know as blood pudding. You also are aware that haggis is banned in the States as the USDA frowns upon ingesting stomach fluids from slaughtered livestock. Despite sheep lungs being a key ingredient in haggis, you give it a nibble and realize that this Scottish staple isn’t half baaaad.

After check-out, you walk with your luggage to busy Edinburgh Waverley Train Station. A comfortable, hour-long ride on the Borders Railway terminates at Tweedbank, and you take the public bus to Abbotsford ( scottsabbotsford.com ), former home of 19th century novelist and poet Sir Walter Scott. The estate is so extraordinary, you add “Ivanhoe” and “Rob Roy” to your reading list.

Relying on mostly taxis and hired drivers for the rest of the trip — the countless roundabouts, alone, make driving on the left side not worth the risk — you transfer to Schloss Roxburghe ( schlosshotel-roxburghe.com ) for two fairy-tale-like nights at this luxury countryside escape in the heart of scenic Scottish Borders. A tasty welcome with champagne and canapes is followed by a stroll around the historic property. On the sprawling resort surrounded by rolling hills and flowing rivers are 130 units (52 of them cottages), a championship golf course and other sporty activities, a Finnish-inspired spa, and nooks aplenty to enjoy libations made with the handmade gin created from botanicals sourced on the estate.

Wisely deciding to spend the day here, just as the Duke of Roxburghe often did in a past life of the picture-perfect property once owned by him, you book fishing, archery, croquet and clay shooting with the resort’s country sports manager. A few minutes later you pinch yourself in disbelief you’re staying where someone actually has the title of country sports manager.

A full day of activities and therapeutic R&R has you hungry for a night topped with “Scottish bistronomy” at the new, on-site Charlie’s. From the venison and pigeon to the scallops and ham hocks, the restaurant’s estate-to-plate approach pleases the senses.

A yummy buffet breakfast at Charlie’s coupled with an early checkout and on-time hired driver, found on VisitScotland’s website, make for a great start to what promises to be a long, but great day. Appropriately, the first stop is The Great Tapestry of Scotland ( greattapestryofscotland.com ) in the Borders town of Galashiels. On permanent display here since 2021 is the story of Scotland’s history, heritage and culture as told through 160 linen panels hand-stitched by over 1,000 nimble-fingered volunteers.

Leaving the 155 miles of driving to someone else today allows you to make a pitstop at the Moffat Distillery ( moffatdistillery.com ), where an American-born proprietor and her English husband are making a go making wood-fired whisky and gin. Tours and tastings — their blended-malt scotch is a winner — are conducted daily.

After traveling along what motor enthusiasts deem as the most drivable roads in the U.K., passing adorable villages and where ferries to Northern Ireland run back and forth day and night, you come up to the electronically gated entrance of your five-star home for the next two nights. One mile beyond — and one mile off Scotland’s western coast — is Glenapp Castle ( glenappcastle.com ) in the bonny Ayrshire countryside. Built in 1870, this prime example of Scots baronial, an architectural style of 19th-century Gothic Revival, has 17 luxury units (as low as $419 a night) and a 4,500-square-foot, four-bedroom penthouse that sleeps eight and starts at $4,000 a night. The 36 acres of perfectly manicured gardens, lush woodland and stately structures have hosted dignitaries from Churchill to Eisenhower, and since you’re sleeping like a VIP and got a classy bagpiper welcome, you might as well eat like one, too; dining at Glenapp is an experience fit for royalty.

Leaving the castle for a day of sightseeing had better be worth it, and it is at the very start thanks to the adorable namesake animals at Kitchen Coos & Ewes ( www.kitchencoosandewes.com ). Getting up-close and personal with the iconic Highland coos and their sheepish pals is a treat, as are the traditional homemade breakfast and lunch that come with the more in-depth tours of this working farm. Next on the schedule is a much different tour up the coast in Alloway; Robert Burns Birthplace Museum pays tribute to Scotland’s favorite son, whose poetry and songs are beloved worldwide. That includes one sung every New Year’s Eve, at least in days of auld lang syne. Despite the museum’s name, Burns’ actual birthplace is a tiny room in a cottage located at another site a 10-minute walk away.

Dinner is in nearby Troon, specifically at The Rabbit restaurant inside the new, 89-room Marine Troon ( marineandlawn.com/marinetroon ), a destination hotel that prides itself as “representing the nexus between land and sea, sport and soil, and man and nature.” Burns might have done better, but one thing that can’t be improved is the Old Course of the adjacent Royal Troon Golf Club. Perhaps one day you’ll return to play 18 here, but for now you behold what you can of links that will host the 152nd Open Championship in July, the 10th time the hallowed course will have this honor.

You’ve had fun storming the castle for two exquisite days, and now it’s time to return to reality — but not through Edinburgh this time. On the way to Glasgow Airport, a more hectic, but closer option from the west, the art lover in you prompts a visit to The Burrell Collection ( burrellcollection.com ). This Glascow gem houses more than 9,000 pieces spanning 6,000 years of history, and if it weren’t for a plane to catch, you could see yourself spending more than the two hours already given.

But the Burrell Collection isn’t the only place you didn’t get your fill over these six amazing days in the Scottish Lowlands. With luck and a replenished travel budget, you hope to return, and soon. Or as the old Scottish saying goes, “haste ye back!”

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Euro 2024: How to follow England and Scotland in Germany this summer – and what to do in each city

T he stage is set for Europe ’s summer festival of football: the Euro 2024 finals in Germany . We now know all the teams who have qualified for the continent’s greatest football tournament, and when and where they will play their opening matches.

England and Scotland qualified emphatically. Sadly, Wales went out on penalties to Poland, who along with Georgia and Ukraine were last to qualify.

Euro 2024 kicks off in Munich on Friday 14 June and ends with the final in Berlin on Sunday 14 July.

Many fans will want to travel to Germany. Whether you are planning a midsummer’s dream trip to support your team or just want to soak up the atmosphere, these are the key questions and answers.

The venues?

• Berlin Olympiastadion (capacity 70,000)
• Munich Football Arena (67,000)
• Dortmund BVB Stadion (66,000)
• Stuttgart Arena (54,000)
• Gelsenkirchen Arena AufSchalke (50.000)
• Hamburg Volksparkstadion (50,000)
• Cologne Stadium (47,000)
• Dusseldorf Arena (47,000)
• Frankfurt Arena (46,000)
• Leipzig Stadium (42,000)

Read more on Europe travel :

• Where to visit in Cyprus for a 2024 holiday
• Why I chose Marseille over Paris for the Olympic Games
• The best kids’ club resorts in Europe

Where and when are Scotland’s group-stage games?

14 June v Germany in Munich (the tournament’s opening match)

19 June v Switzerland in Cologne

23 June v Hungary in Stuttgart

Where and when are England’s group-stage games?

16 June v Serbia in Gelsenkirchen

20 June v Denmark in Frankfurt

25 June v Slovenia in Cologne

What are the basic travel mechanics?

Fortunately for supporters of England and Scotland, all the games – except for the opening match between Germany and Scotland in Munich – are in western Germany.

For Cologne, where England will play Slovenia and Scotland will play Switzerland, surface travel looks best: ideally a Eurostar train from London to Brussels and a connection from there.

But it will be much cheaper for groups of supporters to go by road. Many people will take cars across, and the Dover-Dunkirk or Harwich-Hook of Holland ferries are probably best – though Newcastle to Amsterdam and Hull to Rotterdam are also feasible, if expensive.

There’s a wide choice of flights on budget airlines from across England and Scotland to Germany , but they won’t be low-cost during the tournament for key games. It could be smart to fly to somewhere close to Germany instead.

For example, to reach Gelsenkirchen, the venue for England’s first game against Serbia, Eindhoven in the Netherlands is an option. Remarkably, for those flying out on 15 June and returning on 17 June, Ryanair has flights between London Stansted and Eindhoven for £15 each way.

For Scotland’s game against Hungary on 23 June in Stuttgart, you could fly on easyJet from Edinburgh to Basel in Switzerland and get a cheap train from there; out on 21 June, back on 24 June is currently £184 return.

Will travelling around the host nation be easy?

Yes, because German Railways has a vast, high-density network, with low fares if you don’t take the fastest expresses.

There is no real need to book anything in advance – you can buy tickets on the day. The network will feel the strain on match days, but trains will be supplemented by long-distance coaches.

If you’re driving your own car, the autobahns will be busy – and you will also find parking in cities and near venues difficult.

All ticket holders will get 36 hours of free local transport around each match.

Which brings us to the thorny question of tickets...

All group-match tickets have been sold, and the Uefa resale platform has now closed. The organisers say “There will be no further opportunities to resell tickets.”

Uefa adds: “Tickets reserved for knockout-stage matches will be sold during the tournament upon the qualification of the teams for the respective matches.”

Or you can settle for the fan zones – which will be in attractive locations such as Cologne’s old town, the Altstadt.

What about accommodation?

Unlike Paris, where hotel rates are steadily falling ahead of the Olympic Games , demand for rooms in and near host venues is rising – along with prices. For many fans, Germany is extremely accessible.

In Cologne, on the night of Scotland’s group game against Switzerland (19 June), many properties are sold out, and basic budget hotel rooms are selling for £400.

But you can save approximately half the cost by booking in Dusseldorf, about 20 minutes by train from Cologne. Go further, to Aachen (less than an hour away), and rates halve again.

While many Berlin hotels are sold out on the night of the final, a very good hotel room in Leipzig (the Amano Home ) is only €79 (£69) on the night of the final, with trains taking 75 minutes to reach the German capital.

Is it worth waiting until the knockout stages?

Quite possibly. A valid strategy is to do nothing now and see if England and Scotland progress beyond the group stage. From then onwards, everything becomes easier – pressure on transport and accommodation eases because lots of fans sadly go home.

Over the four-day spell of the quarter-finals, from 29 June to 2 July, could be the prime time to be in Germany.

And, if you are feeling optimistic, you could even book a cheap flight to Berlin for the final on 14 July. Ryanair is currently selling flights on 11 July, returning on 16 July, for just £137 from Edinburgh to the German capital.

What shall I do between the matches?

This guide focuses on the England and Scotland host cities, in order of their matches. But the best of the rest will follow.

Munich (Scotland v Germany, 14 June)

The Bavarian capital is the favourite German city of many travellers. The Altstadt, the old town, has the beautiful Marienplatz – dominated by the neo-Gothic Neues Rathaus (new town hall), which stretches across its northern side. Shortly before 11am and noon each day, crowds gather for a glockenspiel performance that features a Bavarian knight beating a French challenger in a jousting tournament. For the best view of Munich (and, on a clear day, the Bavarian Alps), visit the tower of St Peter’s Church, just south.

Eat and drink

Warm summer evenings will mainly be spent on cafe terraces and in beer gardens, but the state-owned Hofbrauhaus is well worth visiting for the dizzying choreography of the well-attired waiting staff and the conviviality of the location – augmented from time to time with all the oompah you would expect from a Bavarian band.

Gelsenkirchen (England v Serbia, 16 June)

The Ruhr is off many tourists’ itineraries, but the former coal and steel hub for Germany’s economic and military might is fascinating. Gelsenkirchen itself is actually little more than a northern suburb of Essen (don’t show this to any locals). The industrial archaeology is remarkable, with much of the former Zollverein coal mine handed back to nature – and visitors. You can clamber, carefully, around this Unesco-listed gem. And the German Football Museum is just minutes away in Dortmund (see below).

Essen in central Essen: it is difficult to go wrong, but I like the Pfefferkorn Essen. South of the city centre, Il Pomodoro is a reliable Italian.

Cologne (Scotland v Switzerland, 19 June; England v Slovenia, 25 June)

Cologne is a city designed for walking. Start by climbing the bell tower of the dom (cathedral); the 509 steps are challenging, though you can pause halfway up to admire the glocken (bells). From the public gallery at a height of 97m, you get a fine view of the old town – and some ungainly modern buildings that were erected after the Second World War, in which 90 per cent of the city was destroyed. The Museum Ludwig, adjacent to the dom , celebrates modern art by the likes of Dali and Warhol. For 19th-century works and earlier, the Wallraf-Richartz-Museum is a dramatic modern structure.

Eating, drinking and shopping are the main interests of the locals in what is arguably Germany’s friendliest big city. The local Kolsch beer – light and well hopped – will cheer even losing fans. The tastiest brand is Gaffel, whose home ground is the Gaffel Haus on Alter Markt. But the atmosphere is even more convivial at the Brauhaus Sion, which also serves up sauerbraten : beef marinated for what seems like months, which melts in your mouth in minutes.

Frankfurt (England v Denmark, 20 June)

Europe’s financial hub is far more rewarding than you might imagine. It has a traditionally restored old town, complete with the chance to ascend the tower of St Bartholomew’s (location for medieval coronations of holy Roman emperors), though with some questionable 1960s embellishments. Among the wealth of attractions in this wealthy city: Goethe’s House, where the national poet was born in 1749.

Goethe could have been talking to football fans when he wrote: “If you’ve never eaten while crying you don’t know what life tastes like.” Cross one of the bridges to go south of the Main and sample ebbelwei – apple wine, a cousin of cider – in Ebbelwoi Unser, where you can also dine on sausage, dumplings and sauerkraut.

Stuttgart (Scotland v Hungary, 23 June)

The capital of Baden-Wurttemberg, a big, prosperous southwestern state, feels different from many other German cities: with hilly surroundings and a sense of space, it is a location for getting out and about. Top attraction: the Mercedes-Benz Museum. But if you want to be alone after the match, try Schloss Solitude, just west of the city.

Could this be Germany’s most amazing bar? Jigger & Spoon is a modern take on the speakeasy bar, two floors below the city streets in the vault of a bank, which you reach by going into the office block at Gymnasiumstrasse 33 and taking the lift down two floors. Somehow it includes a cigar lounge. For dinner, the Stuttgart Rathskeller in the basement of the city hall is unbeatable.

Best of the rest – Simon Calder’s top recommendation for each of the other host cities

The wall may have come down in 1989, but 35 years on, the scars of the division of the German capital are still evident. The Palace of Tears at Friedrichstrasse railway station, where people checked out of East Germany to the West, is now a museum, and provides a profoundly emotional experience.

Controversy drags on about England’s third goal in the 1966 World Cup Final: the German Football Museum even has a special investigation into the linesman’s questionable decision against West Germany, using an interactive media station. Unsurprisingly, there is rather more focus on the occasions when German players won the Weltmeisterschaft (in 1954, 1974, 1990 and 2014).

The Church of St Nicholas was built in 1874 by the great British architect Gilbert Scott. It was devastated during the Second World War by Allied bombers, but the spire survived and remains one of Europe’s tallest church structures. The crypt contains a small museum commemorating the wartime destruction of Hamburg and the victims of the Third Reich. Nearby, visit Altona Fischmark, the ornate fish market where The Beatles used to breakfast after their all-night shows on the Reeperbahn.

One of Germany’s most rewarding cities owes much of its beauty to the Rhine; a riverside highway is now confined to a tunnel. Take the Weisse Flotte €20 Panorama-Fahrt (no sniggering, please) to appreciate the setting and learn more about the monuments.

In this fine East German city, do mention the Cold War. The Zeitgeschictliches Forum focuses on four decades of state communism. You are taken through the whole sorry story, from the Nazi era via the postwar carve-up of Germany decided in Potsdam, and spy cameras disguised as cigarette packets, to the night in 1989 when the Berlin Wall came down.

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Delivery plan for remaining A9 dualling projects announced

Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Net Zero and Just Transition, Mairi McAllan, updated Parliament today on the delivery plan for dualling works for the remaining single carriageway sections of the A9 between Perth and Inverness. This plan anticipates completion of the entire A9 Dualling programme between Perth and Inverness by the end of 2035.

The delivery plan involves a rolling programme of construction with dualled sections opened progressively . All those who travel on the A9 will experience the benefits of dualling well ahead of the final section becoming operational. Nearly 50% of the road is expected to be dualled by the end of 2030, rising to 85% by the end of 2033, with the final section expected to open by the end of 2035.

The Government has adopted a “hybrid” approach to delivering the programme, progressing the three remaining southern projects as individual capital-funded design and build contracts, with the remaining projects in the north and central sections delivered via two resource-funded Mutual Investment Model (MIM) contracts, subject to ongoing due diligence and further decision making in late 2025, including an updated assessment of market conditions.

Work will begin immediately on preparations for procurement of the first of the three design and build contracts, for the Tay Crossing to Ballinluig project. Publication of the contract notice is planned for Spring 2024, with contract award expected in Summer 2025.   

The Cabinet Secretary also confirmed that the preferred option for the Pass of Birnam to Tay Crossing project will include a number of elements of the community’s preferred option, including a roundabout at Dunkeld and junction layouts at The Hermitage and Dalguise. More detailed information on the preferred route option for this section is available on the Transport Scotland website and local communities and road users will have the chance to see and comment on plans at public exhibitions planned in January.

Ms McAllan said:

"I am aware that today’s announcement has been keenly anticipated by many, especially those concerned to see safety benefits secured on the route and by the many Scottish communities and businesses for whom the A9 is essential. This programme has faced challenges and I acknowledge that it has not progressed at the pace we would have liked. However, the A9 is the backbone of Scotland. It must be safe, reliable and resilient as possible – and that’s what the Scottish Government will deliver.

"The approach that I outlined today foregrounds certainty of delivery carefully balanced with factors such as industry capacity to deliver, the need to minimise disruption to road users and wider financial constraints.

"This Government is restating its commitment to dualling the A9 between Perth and Inverness – with a concrete plan. The approach I have set out means that the Highlands can have confidence that the considerable benefits of A9 Dualling will be delivered in full. 

"Now we have reached this point, there will be no let up. When construction starts on Tomatin to Moy next year, under this delivery programme, it should roll continually until the route between Perth and Inverness is fully dualled."

Transport Scotland has prepared updated total scheme cost estimates for each project.  The total cost of the programme is now estimated at £3.7bn at April 2023 prices. When adjusted for inflation, that is equivalent to £2.45bn at April 2008 prices, which is well within the original cost estimate of £3bn at 2008 prices. 

The Cabinet Secretary also announced that a new website is being launched for A9 Dualling in the new year and a registration page is now open for people to register for updates on the programme.

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Rugby Union

Autumn Internationals 2024: Fixtures, schedule and kick-off times for England, Wales, Ireland, Scotland and more

When are the rugby Autumn Internationals? Who do England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales play and where? Key dates, fixtures and full schedule as Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Argentina all travel to the Northern Hemisphere for Tests in the Autumn Nations Series

Tuesday 23 April 2024 12:41, UK

The full schedule has been confirmed for rugby's Autumn Internationals, with the giants of the Southern Hemisphere once again coming to take on the Six Nations teams in a busy month of rugby.

England will have Tests against New Zealand and Australia before hosting world champions South Africa, a repeat of their World Cup semi-final, before completing their run of fixtures against Japan.

Six Nations champions Ireland have Friday night matches against New Zealand and Argentina ahead of further games against Fiji and Australia, while the All Blacks' autumn tour also contains trips to France and Italy.

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South Africa also take on Scotland and Wales during their three-Test tour, with Scotland having further games against Fiji, Portugal and Australia during a busy November. Wales' meeting with the Springboks follows matches with Fiji and Australia.

Autumn Internationals: Fixtures and UK kick-off times

Saturday november 2.

3.10pm England vs New Zealand, Twickenham Stadium

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5.40pm Scotland vs Fiji, Murrayfield

Friday November 8

8.10pm - Ireland vs New Zealand, Aviva Stadium

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Saturday November 9

3.10pm England vs Australia, Twickenham

5.40pm Italy vs Argentina, TBC

8.10pm France vs Japan, Stade de France

Sunday November 10

1.40pm - Wales vs Fiji, Principality Stadium

4.10pm Scotland vs South Africa, Murrayfield

Friday November 15

8.10pm - Ireland vs Argentina, Aviva Stadium

Saturday November 16

3.10pm Scotland vs Portugal, Murrayfield

5.40pm England vs South Africa, Twickenham

8.10pm France vs New Zealand, Stade de France

🏉 Here are your 2024 #AutumnNationsSeries Fixtures 🙌 pic.twitter.com/S8GUhS2bw5 — Autumn Nations Series (@autumnnations) April 22, 2024

Sunday November 17

1.40pm - Italy vs Georgia, TBC

4.10pm - Wales vs Australia, Principality Stadium

Friday November 22

8.10pm France vs Argentina, Stade de France

Saturday November 23

3.10pm - Ireland vs Fiji, Aviva Stadium

5.40pm - Wales vs South Africa, Principality Stadium

8.10pm - Italy vs New Zealand, TBC

Sunday November 24

1.40pm Scotland vs Australia, Murrayfield

4.10pm England vs Japan, Twickenham

Saturday November 30

3.10pm - Ireland vs Australia, Aviva Stadium

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