• A9 northbound off slip at Pitlochry remains closed

The A9 northbound off slip at Pitlochry remains closed to allow Transport Scotland’s operating company, BEAR Scotland, to carry out emergency river scour repairs.

While the northbound off slip to Pitlochry is closed, traffic is being re-directed to the A924 junction north of Pitlochry.  The A924 southbound access onto the A9 will continue to be unaffected by the closure and the planned repair works.

On 6 and 7 October, Storm Agnes caused the failure of a retaining wall and riverbank adjacent to the A9 northbound off slip at Pitlochry.  A farm access track next to the slip road was also washed away. A narrow width of the slip road remote from the collapsed retaining wall has been made available to allow local farmers to safely access their livestock. The only way to do so is by travelling the wrong way along the slip road, so it is not currently safe for trunk road traffic.

Initial emergency work has been carried out to stabilise the embankment and prevent any more of the retaining wall from being damaged.  However further poor weather, including Storm Babet, has slowed the progress in completing the interim repair works. These works will stabilise the failed embankment and allow BEAR Scotland to open one lane of the slip road, while continuing to give the farmers safe access to their livestock. The interim repair will be completed out as soon as possible.

A permanent repair that fully reinstates the retaining wall and farm access track to allow both lanes of the slip road to be opened will also be designed and constructed in due course.

Ian Stewart, BEAR Scotland’s North West Representative, said, “Storm Agnes and Babet have caused extensive damage to the river bank at Pitlochry.  For public safety, the slip road will remain closed until the damaged area is stabilised.  We thank local residents and drivers for their continued patience. Our priority is to get the road open again as soon as possible, while ensuring the safety of those on site.”

Real time journey information is available from Traffic Scotland on www.traffic.gov.scot, or Twitter/X at @trafficscotland.