Government task force plea to upgrade two key road links

Assurances are being sought on funding to look at bypasses for two villages on the A75

The Scottish and UK governments are being urged to work together to upgrade two key roads in southern Scotland.

Campaigners say urgent action is needed to improve the A75 and A77, which carry traffic to Cairnryan and Stranraer.

The South West Scotland Transport Alliance (SWSTA) wants the ministers at Holyrood and Westminster to form a task force to deliver urgent improvements.

They have also sought confirmation that £8m promised by Rishi Sunak's former government to fund a study on improving the A75 is still on offer.

The route is a key link to ferries to Northern Ireland

The A75 runs from Gretna to Stranraer while the A77 runs down the Ayrshire coast.

Together they carry traffic to the port of Cairnryan - and on to Northern Ireland.

However, there is long-standing concern about the state of the roads - and their impact on safety and the region's economy.

The SWSTA believes a task force is needed in order to deliver the upgrades required.

A bypass for Springholm has been discussed for many years

It has also sought assurances over £8m which was promised to look at bypassing the villages of Springholm and Crocketford and is pressing for a clear timetable for improvements.

The SWSTA is spearheaded by port operators Stena Line, P&O Ferries and Belfast Harbour.

The roads are seen as "key arteries" for ferries sailing to and from Cairnryan.

The need for action is also highlighted in an update of the organisation's Safer, Greener, Better document.

In it, Liz Cameron, director and chief executive of Scottish Chambers of Commerce, says: "The A75 and A77 are two of Scotland’s most important roads.

"Yet they suffer from chronic under-investment which makes them dangerous, hampers economic progress and slows efforts to improve our environment.

"The need to address this is long-overdue."

She said that the case for investment had "never been clearer".

"These are important routes to national and international markets," she added.

"As they stand, however, they are also a material impediment obstructing plans to grow the Scottish economy and to encourage entrepreneurship and innovation in rural communities."

'Budget pressures'

A Transport Scotland statement said the Scottish government was facing "significant pressures" on its capital budget which would affect its ability to invest in all infrastructure - not only the A75 and A77.

However, it stressed that the strategic importance of the routes was recognised.

"We value the critical link they provide to the wider markets in the rest of the UK and Europe by connecting the ports at Cairnryan to the wider trunk road network," it added.

It said a series of improvements had been identified and it had agreed with the UK government that investment was required.

A Department for Transport spokesperson said: "We are committed to working with devolved governments to deliver on our transport priorities and ensure the economic benefits of improved connectivity are shared across the UK."