The Scottish Government

This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007

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Roads investment for South West

21/02/2003

A package of road improvements for the South West was announced today, designed to help grow its economy and increase access for tourists and business.

First Minister Jack McConnell made the announcement in Stranraer as he met StenaLine Chairman Dan Sten Olsson, who was announcing his company's plans for a new ferry port on Loch Ryan.

Mr McConnell said:

"Stranraer serves as a gateway to Scotland and Stena's long term commitment here today will be vital for the South West economy and for Scotland as a whole.

"Investment on this scale by a major multi national company shows that Scotland is a good place both to do business and to work. The company is confident in its future and this provides long term security to its workforce and the businesses who depend on it.

"The roads investment I have confirmed today will provide valuable support for the signs of growth that we are beginning to see in this part of Scotland. Stena's investment today is good news for jobs, good for business and tourism and good for Scotland as a whole.

"Improving key transport links throughout Scotland is one of our key priorities to encourage and sustain economic growth. That is why in our Scottish budget last year we committed record levels of investment for transport."

The roads package includes five A77 improvement schemes as well as design work on the Whitletts roundabout in Ayr.

The schemes are:

• Glenn App
• Haggstone Climbing Lane
• Park End to Bennane
• Drummuckloch to Invermessan
• Ardwell to Slockenray
• Whitletts roundabout

The Executive has worked with the North Channel Partnership - a group of key public and commercial interests founded in 1999 - to develop better transport links between south west Scotland and Northern Ireland.

These schemes will improve overtaking opportunities on the A77 to shorten journey times for traffic leaving Loch Ryan. These will benefit local people who are often delayed by the burst of traffic from the ferries and for the ferry traffic moving to central Scotland and beyond. Design work on the first of the improvements announced today will begin in June with construction underway by the autumn of 2005.

This complements additional £28 million investment for improvements on the A75 as well as £87 million of work committed on the A77 and new M77 extension which will be underway shortly.

Transport Minister Iain Gray said:

"An efficient, well maintained roads network is vital to ensure long lasting support for new investments. We have been working in close partnership with Dumfries & Galloway Council, South Ayrshire Council and the North Channel Partnership, whose advice has been invaluable in deciding how best to improve roads in the area.

"We are also today committing to the final design work for improvements to the Whitletts roundabout in Ayr which has long produced serious delays on the A77 - affecting journeys to and from Stranraer. This should enable us to start construction as soon as funds are available - probably in 2004.

"As well as these improvements we already have a substantial programme of investment on the A75 which will speed up travel to the M74 for journeys south. As new investment kicks in this will bring further demands on the road network and we will keep the need for further improvement under close review."

Scottish Enterprise Dumfries and Galloway has contributed £2 million to further develop Loch Ryan as a national transport and destination gateway.

Colin Williamson, Chief Executive of SE Dumfries and Galloway said:

"These investments will both safeguard around 400 high quality jobs and improve the transport infrastructure substantially. In the longer term this will lead to both the regeneration of the Stranraer Waterfront and will provide a significant boost to the wider economy of Dumfries and Galloway."

The new schemes announced today are all on the A77 and are listed below.

Schemes already planned for the A75 are listed below:

Schemes already planned / completed for the A77 / M77 are listed below: