What's involved?
There will be bypasses to Fochabers and Mosstodloch providing access to both settlements and overtaking opportunities for A96 traffic.

Project benefits

• Traffic impacts on the local residents in terms of noise, pollution and community severance are severe at present - in particular in Fochabers.
• Fochabers is a renowned conservation area with a substantial number of listed buildings.
• The proposed bypasses would remove through traffic from Fochabers and Mosstodloch.

Cost, Start Date and Completion Date
These details are available from the programme document

Impact on travel 

•  Improved journey times
•  Improved road safety  
•  Improved overtaking

Traffic management
Significant works would be required adjacent to the existing bridge over the Spey which will involve significant traffic management.

Environmental impact
There will be a reduction in environmental impacts in central areas of Fochabers and Mosstodloch. 

The proposed Fochabers section of the bypasses introduces new environmental impacts into sensitive designed landscape of Gordon Castle and noise impacts into the northern side of Fochabers. 

There would be no impacts on the River Spey special area of Conservation.

Proposed route
The scheme will bypass Mosstodloch to the south, crossing the river Spey by utilising the existing Fochabers New Bridge before passing along the northern edge of Fochabers and reconnecting with the existing A96 at the eastern end of the village.  Roundabouts on the bypass at Cowfords, Coul Brae, Spey Bay and Fochabers East will provide local access to Mosstodloch / Fochabers, the realigned B9015 Rothes Road, the B9014 Spey Bay Road and the A98.

Documents

A96 Fochabers & Mosstodloch Bypass – Public Consultation Exercise December 2007

Options Assessment Reports and Decision Letter confirming the options being taken forward for-

1. the mitigation strategy between Gordon Castle main estate driveway and the realigned Gordon Castle Farm road, including the reconstructed wall adjacent to Castle Street; and
2. the access road to Gordon Castle Farm.

Contact us
For more information on this project please contact-

Trunk Roads: Infrastructure and Professional Services
Transport Scotland
Buchanan House
58 Port Dundas Road
Glasgow
G4 OHF

Tel: 0141 272 7100
Email: info@transportscotland.gsi.gov.uk