Local MSP Brian Whittle has criticised the Scottish Government’s inaction over transport improvements in the South West after the publication of the long awaited STPR2 document lacked any concrete recommendations.
The document, the Strategic Transport Projects Review 2 will be the basis of the Scottish Government’s approach to major transport projects for the next 20 years and has been the subject of repeated delays. While it points to a number of stretches along the A77 and A75, including the A77 south of Girvan and the Bellfield and Whitletts roundabouts, that could benefit from “safety, resilience and reliability improvements” it fails to give any detailed proposals.
Scottish Conservative MSP Brian, who has long campaigned for improvements along the A77 between Kilmarnock and Stranraer, accused the Scottish Government of dragging their feet on meeting their own promises for investment. With the arrival of the Scottish Greens in Government, Brian believes the SNP are now even less likely to deliver.
Brian Whittle MSP said:
“For years, I and many others have been telling the SNP what needs done to improve the A77 and other transport routes in the South West. And for years, they responded with warm words but a refusal to commit to anything before STPR2 was published.
Now, we finally have the completed report, and it does little beyond repeat what drivers in the South West have been saying for years. There are no detailed plans, no timeline and no funding commitment.
After years of dithering and delay, the SNP have yet more evidence that the A77 and other routes need investment, but now, thanks to their decision to bring the Scottish Green Party into the Scottish Government, they’ve got to get road improvements past a party that’s implacably opposed to anything that benefits drivers.
This whole report appears to have been little more than an exercise is wasting time from a Scottish Government that always talk a good game but constantly fail to deliver.”
