Dumfries and Galloway Council and South Ayrshire Council Leaders Pleased With Support From Cabinet Secretary
Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, Cllr Gail Macgregor is pleased to have received a letter from Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP regarding the development and assessment of route options for the A75 Springholm to Crocketford scheme.
Dumfries and Galloway Council and South Ayrshire Council are working closely together to promote the upgrades of both the A75 and the A77 routes and they welcome the support of the Minister for this phase.
The necessary design work for the route options for the A75 Springholm to Crocketford scheme will require multi-year funding, and Ms Hyslop confirms in her letter that she will continue to work with UK Government counterparts to fulfil the commitment within Phase 2 of their spending review, which is due to conclude this summer.
The Cabinet Secretary also confirmed that she was looking forward to meeting with local campaign groups in Girvan on 21 March 2025 and also South West Scotland Transport Alliance on 3 April, to discuss road safety issues along with long term improvements for both the A75 and A77.
Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council, Cllr Gail Macgregor, said:
“I met personally with Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop MSP before we attended the recent Convention of South of Scotland in Dumfries and her response was very positive. I’m delighted that she has taken the trouble to write and confirm that she is behind what we discussed and happy to support our ongoing ambitions.“Both our councils will continue to lobby as far as possible and at every opportunity for the much-needed upgrades to the A75 and the A77. This is very much an ongoing debate but the recognition that these roads are currently not fit for purpose is agreed upon by a range of partners, not just the local authorities, but haulage companies, ferry companies and local residents alike.”
Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Cllr Martin Dowey said:
“There is growing momentum on the much needed upgrading of both these roads. The A77 and A75 are main arterial routes and vital for the local and national economy but the roads are often unfit for the HGVs that use them and there are huge safety concerns.“It’s positive that the Cabinet Secretary is continuing to meet local groups to hear about their concerns. I’m sure residents in Girvan will be keen to talk about the frequent landslips which have led to almost permanent road works on the A77. Together with Dumfries and Galloway Council we are keen to keep this high on the political agenda and Ms Hyslop’s support is greatly appreciated.”
