Campaign launched to speed up dualling A75 plans

The region’s two Scottish Conservatives MSPs have joined forces.

Dumfries and Galloway's two Scottish Conservative MSPs have joined forces and launched a campaign to fast-track the dualling of the A75.

South Scotland MSP Craig Hoy and Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson have joined forces to call for emergency legislation that would see priority areas upgraded by 2031 - and the remainder of the road soon after.

The emergency law also includes plans to “expedite environmental impact assessments”.

This could hold up work happening on Scottish roads but also establish Infrastructure Investment Partnerships to entice more private investment into the dualling project.

This mirrors plans the Tory party announced at their party conference in June to speed up the dualling of the A9.

Scottish Conservative MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, Finlay Carson, said: “As someone who has lived along the A75 my whole life, I know just how important it is and how desperately we need to see it fully dualled.

“The SNP are full of warm words but continues to treat the A75 as a low priority. Enough is enough.

“Our emergency law would speed up the process of dualling this route and encourage more private investment into the road.

“Motorists’ lives are at risk every time they drive this road due to the SNP’s inaction. It is disgraceful that they fail to recognise the importance of the A75 for the local and national economy, given the port at Cairnryan.

“If this road isn’t finally dualled, then there is a real threat of businesses taking their trade elsewhere, which would be a hammer blow for south-west Scotland.

“Craig Hoy and I are determined to campaign for this vital upgrade and for full dualling. It is clear that only the Scottish Conservatives can be trusted to dual the A75 in full.”

Scottish Conservative candidate for Dumfriesshire Craig Hoy MSP said: “The A75 is vitally important across the South of Scotland, but the SNP have shamefully neglected it during their 18 years in power.

“Despite sustained calls from local campaigners, communities and businesses, successive SNP transport ministers have been asleep at the wheel and failed to deliver the upgrades they promised.

“That’s why Finlay Carson and I are launching our joint campaign today designed to fast-track the dualling of the A75 in key sections by the end of the next Scottish Parliament in 2031 and to deliver full dualling as quickly as possible.

“We will deliver where the SNP have failed. This road not only benefits those living and working in these communities but also links Scotland with the north of England and Northern Ireland. It is imperative that those links are not only kept but strengthened.

“As the candidate for Dumfriesshire, I’m delighted to be making this promise to local voters ahead of next year’s election on such a crucial issue.”

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:

“The strategic importance of the A75 to Scotland’s economy is recognised by the Government. It provides a critical link to the markets in the rest of the UK and Europe. That is why we have already completed six major road improvement projects with a total value of over £50 million.

“Now work is underway on the design and assessment of options for more improvements, this time at the villages of Springholm and Crocketford. That work is proceeding at pace.

“Additionally, we will continue to press the UK Government to support future stages of this project, which is vital for improving the road connection between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK."