A96 road
Encyclopedia
The A96 is a major road
in the North of Scotland
.
It runs generally west/north-west from Aberdeen
, bypassing Kintore, Inverurie
, Huntly and Forres
, and running through Keith, Fochabers
, Elgin
and Nairn
. The road terminates at the A9 outside of Inverness
.
The road begins with a junction with the A956 near King Street in Aberdeen City Centre, as a dual carriageway
and goes on to form part of the huge 'Mounthooly Roundabout'. It then exits Aberdeen to the North West, meeting the A90 at the Haudagain Roundabout
, a notoriously busy junction. It then passes Bucksburn, and has a junction with Aberdeen Airport
. The road is then dual carriageway until Inverurie
, where it becomes single carriageway until just before it meets the A9 in Inverness.
The A96 has a poor safety record in the substantial single carriageway section, and the road has topped polls to find the most unpopular roads in Scotland on more than one occasion. Debate about a new section of road to bypass Fochabers took place for a number of years. When the new bridge was built over the River Spey
(in about 1970), it was built to be in line with a possible northern route. The bypass will pass to the north of Fochabers and south of Mosstodloch, construction started on 2 February 2010 and is planned to open in Spring 2012.
The A96 was formerly part of the Euroroute system, of route E120 which ran in a circular route between Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee
and Perth
.
Road
A road is a thoroughfare, route, or way on land between two places, which typically has been paved or otherwise improved to allow travel by some conveyance, including a horse, cart, or motor vehicle. Roads consist of one, or sometimes two, roadways each with one or more lanes and also any...
in the North of Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
.
It runs generally west/north-west from Aberdeen
Aberdeen
Aberdeen is Scotland's third most populous city, one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas and the United Kingdom's 25th most populous city, with an official population estimate of ....
, bypassing Kintore, Inverurie
Inverurie
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
, Huntly and Forres
Forres
Forres , is a town and former royal burgh situated in the north of Scotland on the Moray coast, approximately 30 miles east of Inverness. Forres has been a winner of the Scotland in Bloom award on several occasions...
, and running through Keith, Fochabers
Fochabers
Fochabers is a village in the Parish of Bellie, in Moray, Scotland, not far from the cathedral city of Elgin and located on the east bank of the River Spey. Around 2,000 people live in the village, which enjoys a rich musical and cultural history...
, Elgin
Elgin, Moray
Elgin is a former cathedral city and Royal Burgh in Moray, Scotland. It is the administrative and commercial centre for Moray. The town originated to the south of the River Lossie on the higher ground above the flood plain. Elgin is first documented in the Cartulary of Moray in 1190...
and Nairn
Nairn
Nairn is a town and former burgh in the Highland council area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness...
. The road terminates at the A9 outside of Inverness
Inverness
Inverness is a city in the Scottish Highlands. It is the administrative centre for the Highland council area, and is regarded as the capital of the Highlands of Scotland...
.
The road begins with a junction with the A956 near King Street in Aberdeen City Centre, as a dual carriageway
Dual carriageway
A dual carriageway is a class of highway with two carriageways for traffic travelling in opposite directions separated by a central reservation...
and goes on to form part of the huge 'Mounthooly Roundabout'. It then exits Aberdeen to the North West, meeting the A90 at the Haudagain Roundabout
Haudagain roundabout
The Haudagain Roundabout is a roundabout in Aberdeen that bisects the A90 and A96.As all traffic going northbound to Inverness via the A96 or southbound to Edinburgh must pass through this roundabout it is a notoriously busy and hazardous junction with large queues approaching all directions to the...
, a notoriously busy junction. It then passes Bucksburn, and has a junction with Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport
Aberdeen Airport is an international airport, located at Dyce, a suburb of Aberdeen, Scotland, approximately northwest of Aberdeen city centre. 2.76 million passengers used Aberdeen Airport in 2010, a reduction of 7.4% compared with 2009, making it the 15th busiest airport in the UK...
. The road is then dual carriageway until Inverurie
Inverurie
Inverurie is a Royal Burgh and town in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, approximately north west of Aberdeen on the A96 road and is served by Inverurie railway station on the Aberdeen to Inverness Line...
, where it becomes single carriageway until just before it meets the A9 in Inverness.
The A96 has a poor safety record in the substantial single carriageway section, and the road has topped polls to find the most unpopular roads in Scotland on more than one occasion. Debate about a new section of road to bypass Fochabers took place for a number of years. When the new bridge was built over the River Spey
River Spey
The River Spey is a river in the northeast of Scotland, the second longest and the fastest-flowing river in Scotland...
(in about 1970), it was built to be in line with a possible northern route. The bypass will pass to the north of Fochabers and south of Mosstodloch, construction started on 2 February 2010 and is planned to open in Spring 2012.
The A96 was formerly part of the Euroroute system, of route E120 which ran in a circular route between Inverness, Aberdeen, Dundee
Dundee
Dundee is the fourth-largest city in Scotland and the 39th most populous settlement in the United Kingdom. It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firth of Tay, which feeds into the North Sea...
and Perth
Perth, Scotland
Perth is a town and former city and royal burgh in central Scotland. Located on the banks of the River Tay, it is the administrative centre of Perth and Kinross council area and the historic county town of Perthshire...
.