Plea for minister to drive crumbling A77
Transport chief under-fire to upgrade Carrick roads
Scotland’s new transport minister has been told it is “beyond belief” not to upgrade a key Ayrshire road.
The crumbling state of the A77 requires urgent attention, according to campaigners.
And one MSP says a spate of serious accidents will only continue unless serious action is taken.
Transport chief Graeme Dey is now coming under increasing pressure to address the issues in the south-west.
South Scotland-list Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey said: “The poor condition of our roads has been holding the southwest back for decades.
“It’s beyond belief that even after years of campaigning, the Scottish Government still feel there’s no place for A75 and A77 in the new transport review.
“Securing improvements to the A77 and A75 is one of the major things I want to see achieved while
I’m in the Scottish Parliament and I’ll be pushing the Scottish Government on this at every opportunity.”
Mrs Dowey added: “If Graeme Dey thinks these roads are up to standard, then all he needs to do is take a look at the number of accidents that happen on them each year.
“Kicking further improvements into the long grass just isn’t good enough. Residents in the southwest deserve roads fit for the 21st century, it’s as simple as that.”
It follows a challenge by fellow Tory MSP Finlay Carson for Mr Dey to drive the roads himself.
Mr Carson, who represents Galloway and West Dumfries, raised the issue during a debate in the Scottish Parliament.
He said: “I would like to extend an invitation to him [Mr Dey] to visit and drive the A75 and A77 and see first-hand how unfit these routes are for the volume of traffic that use them on a daily basis.
“With regards to the Strategic Transport Project Review 2 phase one, it is deeply concerning that no capital investment is contained within the review for the A75 and the A77.
“It merely reinforces the belief that this corner of Scotland is forgotten, ignored, neglected and deprived.”
Responding, Mr Dey said: “STPR2 is taking a two-phase approach, due to COVID-19.
“The first phase, published this February, identified short-term priorities. Phase two will make longer-term recommendations to ministers.
“There will be a public consultation, with the draft programme that will emerge from that being launched towards the end of the year.
“The results of the south-west transport study have been fed into the consideration process and contain a number of recommendations.
“Those include making targeted improvements to the A75 and A77 and a number of suggested rail packages, including new links between Dumfries and Stranraer and Stranraer and Cairnryan.”