Why would SNP turn down £20m to fix roads?

SCOTLAND faces missing out on millions of pounds of roads funding because SNP ministers have refused to apply for Westminster cash.

The UK Government has offered £20million of funding for road and rail projects as part of its ‘Union Connectivity’ plans.

It is understood the devolved administrations in Wales and Northern Ireland have expressed an interest in the cash but the SNP has failed to get involved.

A UK Government minister yesterday said the lack of engagement from the SNP was ‘disappointing’.

But the SNP claimed the fund was an attempted ‘power grab’ because transport is devolved to Holyrood.

The row comes as the deal between the SNP and the Greens at Holyrood includes a commitment to ‘not build road infrastructure to cater for forecast unconstrained increases in traffic volume’.

Boris Johnson has pledged to invest in transport projects which boost cross-UK connections and has appointed Sir Peter Hendy, chairman of Network Rail, to carry out a Union Connectivity Review.

Speaking at the Westminster Energy, Environment and Transport Forum yesterday, Scotland Office Minister David Duguid said: ‘We must ensure the whole of the UK is firing on all cylinders.

‘To jump-start some of the projects that have already been identified by Sir Peter, the Government has made £20million of development funding available for some of the road and rail schemes the review considers crucial for crossborder connectivity.

‘The lack of engagement from the Scottish Government on the Union Connectivity Review thus far is disappointing. The people of Scotland are set to miss out on the benefits of this £20million interim funding which could improve their day-today lives.’

Among the projects which could benefit from Union Connectivity funding are a major upgrade of the A75 route linking Dumfries and Galloway to the north of England, as well as an extension of the Borders Railway to Carlisle.

A spokesman for Transport Minister Graeme Dey said: ‘Transport is devolved to Holyrood and the Tories should respect that, instead of engaging in a power grab which has seen them promise much but deliver little in reality.’

‘People of Scotland are set to miss out’