First Minister Acknowledges A75 Concerns

First Minister John Swinney has stated he “clearly understands” the extent of apprehension regarding a vital transport route through south-west Scotland, following appeals for its improvement. Ferry operators and local road campaigners convened with him at Crocketford Village Hall to advocate for additional work on the A75, which connects Gretna and Stranraer. This route facilitates the daily transport of goods valued at millions of pounds, serving the ferry terminals located in Cairnryan. Mr. Swinney indicated that he could commit to a “mixture of different things” that are anticipated to benefit those who use the road. This gathering occurred subsequent to the November announcement that Jacobs UK Ltd was selected as technical advisors to advance the design and evaluation of bypass alternatives for the A75 at Springholm and Crocketford. Mr. Swinney stated that he had considered the input received from local residents, businesses, and activists. “I clearly understand the depth of concern there is within the local community about the A75 and the issues of road safety,” he said. “It’s vital that people are able to live in safety and to access transport routes in the locality – I’ve heard that message loud and clear.” “What I want to make sure is that we seize every opportunity we can to improve the situation.” He affirmed a commitment to examine bypass solutions for two villages, adding that other strategies would be explored to address the “complicated interaction” between heavy goods vehicles serving the ferry ports and local vehicular movement. “That can sometimes be really difficult as an interaction and we have to be mindful of that and and to make sure we’ve got all available safety measures taken to try to improve the situation as swiftly as we possibly can do,” he said. He also mentioned his commitment to investigate the potential implementation of average speed cameras. Nevertheless, he emphasized that given the “enormous demands on public finances,” projects would need to be executed “as quickly and as expeditiously” as feasible. Finlay Carson, Conservative MSP for Galloway and West Dumfries, expressed approval of the visit, viewing it as an opportunity for Mr. Swinney to engage with ferry operators, transport organizations, and local campaigners. He conveyed that there was “some hope” that their perspectives had been acknowledged. “It is quite clear the A75 needs investment and we need it sooner rather than later,” he said. “I am really pleased that engineers have been appointed to look at the route and the technical details for the bypasses at Springholm and Crocketford.” He further mentioned that assurances had been given that any prior studies concerning potential bypass routes would also be considered. Mr. Carson indicated that the assessment would likely take a few years to finalize, with construction commencing sometime thereafter, yet he maintained optimism regarding potential advancements on the bypasses. “It is a signal that it is going to happen and that is far more than we have had in the past,” he said. Colin Smyth, Labour MSP for South Scotland, stated that the public desired “action, not just warm words” from the Scottish government. He pointed out that the sole funding allocated to the A75 was £5m from the UK government, designated for examining bypasses at Springholm and Crocketford. “It’s time for the Scottish government to stop ducking their responsibilities, and put their money where their mouth is by committing to funding the building of the bypasses when that design work is completed,” he said. He added that residents in the locality were seeking their “fair share” and were weary of being considered the nation’s “forgotten region.”