At a summit in Stranraer, businesses, campaigners, and politicians discussed the need for upgrades to the A75 and A77 routes in Scotland. They called for a clear timeline for the improvements. The summit heard from several individuals and groups who expressed concerns about the roads, including one lorry driver who said driving them could feel like “Russian Roulette” and argued that the routes needed to be made safer.
While TUK Transport Secretary Mark Harper confirmed a funding package of £8m to improve the A75 last year, the Scottish government’s Strategic Transport Projects Review also highlighted the need to improve the routes’ safety, resilience, and reliability. The A75 and A77 are considered critical links between ferry ports at Cairnryan, UK, and other parts of Europe.
Speaker Andy Kane, regional ports operations manager for Stena Line, stated that there has been progress towards improvement works, particularly on the A75, but much more needed to be done. Laura Gilmour, Irish Sea ports director for P&O, referred to the A75 and A77 as two of the five slowest A-roads in Scotland. She believes these roads must become safer, greener, and fit for 21st Century needs.
Fiona Barnes, a driver with McBurney’s, believes the roads need investment to become more HGV-friendly as they are not designed for the current volume of traffic. Barnes suggests that investing in the roads would make it safer for everybody and reduce travel times, cutting tailbacks as driving along these routes can be like a game of Russian Roulette.”
Transport Scotland has identified targeted improvements in both the A75 and A77 over the next 20 years. It recognises the importance of the links and the critical connection they provide with markets in the UK and beyond. However, council leaders in Dumfries and Galloway and South Ayrshire have called on the UK and Scottish governments to ‘get around the table’ to unlock the ‘massive potential’ in improving these routes
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