IMPROVEMENTS to the A75 and A77 were the topic of conversation when Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop met with the South West Scotland Transport Alliance (SWSTA) last week.
Ms Hyslop set sail on a Stena Line sailing from Cairnryan to Belfast, to discuss the need for ongoing improvements to the A75 and A77.
SWSTA members Stena Line and Belfast Harbour discussed with the Cabinet Secretary the priority stretches of road improvements, following an initial discussion with First Minister John Swinney during a visit to Crocketford on the A75 late last year.
The alliance is currently consulting with politicians, chambers of commerce and hauliers, as part of the SWSTA’s Safer, Greener, Better campaign, and will publish its ranked priority list of improvements later this year.
SETTING SAIL . . . Pictured left to right: Michael Robinson (Port Director, Belfast), Paul Grant (Stena Line Trade Director), Captain James Shaw and Fiona Hyslop (Cab Sec for Transport) on the bridge of the Superfast VIII as it prepares to depart from Cairnryan in Scotland for Belfast in Northern Ireland
Speaking after the meeting, Fiona Hyslop said: “The strategic importance of both the A75 and A77 to Scotland’s economy is recognised by this Government. We value the critical link they provide to the wider markets in the rest of the UK and Europe by connecting the ports at Cairnryan to the wider trunk road network.
“On the A77 we have completed five major improvements totalling £64 million, including the £29 million Maybole Bypass. In terms of the A75 we have completed six major roads improvement projects with a total value of over £50 million. While the UK Autumn Budget marked a step in the right direction, it does not make up for 14 years of underinvestment – austerity cannot be undone in one year. We are still facing significant pressures on our capital budget, which is significantly affecting our ability to maintain investment on all of Scotland’s transport infrastructure.”
Paul Grant, from Stena Line, added: “We know that hauliers and other travellers are put off using the ports at Cairnryan because of the poor connections. That’s bad for the economy. But this is primarily a safety issue. The simple fact is that people are at risk on the A75 and A77 in their current state.
“The unfortunate reality is that Stena Line must base its investment decisions on the infrastructure conditions we encounter, and there is no question that the state of these roads placed uncertainty on our future investment.”
