Bypass to be discussed
Five mile stretch planned
A motion was lodged to discuss the Maybole Bypass at the Scottish Parliament.
With the support of several MSPs, Emma Harper MS P was “delighted” to have secured the debate this week, following to upcoming announcement of which company has secured the contract to carry out the works along the five- mile stretch,
The decision will be based on one of four already short listed companies that are, Farrans Roadbridge, John Paul Con struct ion,RJ McLeod and Wills Bros.
The debate on the “landmark step for road infrastructure” is hoped to open a “wider discussion” amongst parliament.
Commenting on the debate, Emma Harper MSP said: “I was delighted to secure a debate at the Scottish Parliament welcoming the upcoming announcement from the Scottish Government regarding which company has won the contract to carry out the five- mile stretch of off- line bypass and associated junctions for the town of Maybole.
“This bypass, which was championed by my colleague, Jeane Freeman MSP, and Adam Ingram before her, will minimise heavy traffic travelling through Maybole town centre and will significantly improve road safety and journey time reliability.
“This is a landmark step for road infrastructure in the south west of Scotland, and holding this debate will open up a much wider discussion amongst MSPs on the region’s transport links, both road and rail, and the need for more investment to be made to improve both safety and journey times, which would be of huge benefit to the economies in Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway.
“I have been extremely vocal in calling for further investment to come to our road infrastructure in this part of Scotland and will continue to lobby the Scottish Government to see that it happens.”
Donald McHarrie, from the A77 Action Group, added: “We certainly welcome Emma Harper’s motion and support any infrastructure investment in the South West.
“We are the corner that has been in the past been the forgotten, neglected and ignored more than any other part of Scotland.
“However, we are the corner of Scotland that with the right investments could be the corner of Scotland with the most potential.
“Th rough Emma Harper’s motion and the work carried out by other MSP’s it goes a fair way to highlighting the South West of Scotland’s transport infrastructure issues.”
The debate took place in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday, November 6.