Crocketford: The village waiting patiently for an A75 bypass
- Published
Crocketford is one of two villages where A75 traffic still rumbles through every day
The A75 is a key transport route through south-west Scotland running between Stranraer and Gretna.
Lorries going to and from the ferry ports at Cairnryan come rumbling along the road at all times of day.
A funding package of £8m was recently announced to look at ways of improving journey times on the route.
Among the suggestions has been a bypass for the village of Crocketford but what do local residents think of that plan and the likelihood of its delivery?
Anne Botel has lived in the village for decades
Anne Botel has lived in the village - about nine miles from Dumfries - for more than 40 years.
"The subject of the A75 has been on the agenda for a very, very long time," she said.
"The worthies in the village - the older folk - talked about bypasses maybe 60 years ago and nothing's ever happened, basically."
However, she said that if the latest investment could finally pave the way for such a development it would be welcome.
"The traffic through the village has got worse and worse," she said.
"You get convoys of lorries coming through, you've got large agricultural traffic coming through and you've also got the wood lorries going through.
"We had to have a petition to get a crossing for the school children to get across to the bus and it's been wiped out twice since we got it by accidents."
She said that getting a bypass was "really important" for the area but expressed some doubts about seeing it happen.
Examining a bypass for Crocketford is among the ways being suggested for spending the latest funding
"I'm aware too that surveys have been done before," she said.
"To be honest with you, I don't believe it will ever happen.
"There have been plans before and nothing has ever happened but I think it is important it does happen - realistically, I'll believe it when I see it."
Joan Rutherford has been in Crocketford for three decades and expressed very similar sentiments.
Joan Rutherford said there was a history of crashes in the village
"There was a history when I came of plans going ahead for a bypass and then nothing happened," she said.
However, she said that it could make a "big difference" with more and more houses being built and an increasing numbers of people - young and old - trying to cross the road.
"I think it would be a benefit to the people, actually, in the village and people living in the houses and the main road - that's pretty dangerous," she said.
Ms Rutherford welcomed the £8m promise but said she was dubious it would lead to actual concrete proposals.
"I've read wee bits and pieces and it's saying that it's to look at a study for improvements between Gretna and Stranraer," she said.
"It has been mentioned that Crocketford and Springholm bypasses might be on the cards - but I wouldn't hold my breath."
A bypass could transform the village, according to Malcolm Struthers
Malcolm Struthers moved to Crocketford about two years ago but is already aware of the significance of the route.
"Ever since we've been living here, we've noticed how much of an impact the A75 going through the village has on the village," he said.
"There's always been a lot of talk in the past about a bypass and it's become much more pointed in recent years, especially since quite a bad accident roughly this time last year.
"I think that's really sort of built momentum for the bypass."
All sorts of vehicles come through the centre of Crocketford
He said it could make a huge difference.
"It would just make it feel more like a village," Mr Struthers said.
"And, from a safety point of view, from a pollution point of view and from a noise point of view I think it would certainly transform the feeling within the village."
However, he said any plans would need to be balanced with the impact on the local businesses in order to ensure they got the right solution.
He said he hoped something might finally be done - rather than simply more studies.
"I think there's a general feeling that we've been here, done this and actually it's time now for action," he said.
"I think people want to know some detail now and actually what would it mean, where would it go, how much would it cost and what would the environmental impact be?
"Just hearing about the idea isn't enough."
Do you live on the route of the A75? What would you like to see done to improve it? Email your thoughts to dumfries@bbc.co.uk, external.
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- Published7 December 2023
