A96 road

The A96 is a main road in northern Scotland, running from Aberdeen west and north-west to Inverness. It passes through small towns such as Inverurie, Huntly and Elgin, and skirted places like Fochabers and Forres. The road ends where it meets the A9 just outside Inverness. Near Aberdeen it meets the busy Haudagain Roundabout and passes close to Aberdeen Airport. The A96 has been widened and straightened in several places since the 1980s. A new bridge at Inveramsay replaced an old one that slowed traffic with traffic lights. A much larger plan aims to turn the whole single-carriageway stretch into dual carriageway by 2030. Some local people and green groups have criticised the plan for its effects on woodland and climate goals. A cycle path now runs between Kintore and Port Elphinstone. Another shared path is being built between Lhanbryde and Fochabers. The road still threads through towns such as Elgin and Keith, where traffic often moves slowly.