Exclusive:Ferry firm condemns '20th century roads' and calls for bypass dualling
Warning that single carriageway bypass would be ‘tragic missed opportunity’
A leading ferry operator has warned ministers it is being forced to contend with “20th century roads” in the south-west of Scotland, and backed calls for dualling of a key rural route.
A senior executive at Stena Line said any move to create a single carriageway bypass on the A75 would be a “tragic missed opportunity” and a “short-sighted false economy.”
Paul Grant, trade director for Irish Sea North at the company, said that if the key arterial route at Springholm and Crocketford was transformed with a dual carriageway bypass, the Scottish government “would be as well not bothering to build it at all.”
Transport Scotland is pushing ahead with plans to bypass the villages on the road thanks to funding from the UK government, with the quango appointing technical advisors to take forward design development and assessment work for the initiative.
The outcome of that work is expected to identify a preferred route option in 2027, with three options so far shortlisted: single carriageway with and without dedicated overtaking lanes, and dual carriageway cross-sections.
However, Mr Grant stressed that the former options would not deliver the improvements required, and said the prospect of relying on a single carriageway route would impact the firm’s investment in the region.
Writing in today’s Scotsman, Mr Grant explained: “We have created a 21st century port at Cainryan, but we are met by 20th century roads. The whole purpose, surely, of improving our infrastructure is to move forward rather than to stand still. A single carriageway bypass would be a tragic missed opportunity, and a short-sighted false economy.
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“It would fail to take advantage of an opportunity to improve the safety of this stretch of the road, creating only marginal benefits. It would miss the opportunity to improve the emissions profile of this stretch of the road, creating only marginal benefits. And it would miss the opportunity to improve the economic impact of this stretch of the road, creating only marginal benefits.”
The A75, traditionally known as a Euroroute, spans close to 100 miles from the border at Gretna to Stranraer, and is used extensively by passengers and heavy goods vehicles travelling to and from Northern Ireland.
Both South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway councils have called for improvements to upgrade the A75 as well as the A77, citing safety concerns and the economic importance of the links.
Only last month, the leaders of the local authorities said the bends and rural nature of the roads slowed traffic and caused congestion, and pointed out that 32 people have died in crashes on the two routes over the past decade.
Transport secretary, Fiona Hyslop, said: “We are committed to improving safety, resilience and reliability for everyone who uses the A75, including freight operators.
“The design and assessment work is proceeding at pace to consider options for realigning the A75 trunk road with bypasses of Springholm and Crocketford. The villages are the only two settlements along this busy route not to have been bypassed and we are pleased to be taking this work forward to improve the lives of people living, visiting and working in the villages.”
She added: “The ground investigation work due to get underway next month will support the assessment work and contribute to the identification of a preferred route option which we expect to confirm in early 2027.”
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