Chancellor underlines commitment to road upgrade for The Three Towns
Rachael Reeves is promoting UK Government transport investment
The Chancellor's in Scotland today to underline UK Government support for the upgrade of a twisty country road linking the three towns and the Garnock Valley, keeping a promise made by the previous Conservative government.
Rachel Reeves is giving North Ayrshire Council just under £24 million for the project to improve the B714 , allowing faster travel between Ardrossan, Saltcoats and Stevenston and Glasgow, and cutting traffic in Kilwinning.
In 2021 the UK Government first pledged support as part of the first round of the Levelling Up Fund.
Earlier this year construction firms were invited to submit tenders to carry out the upgrade.
Rachel Reeves is visiting Paisley to promote a £66 million package of funding for transport projects in Scotland.
The money will go towards projects linked to new investment zones and advanced manufacturing sites supported by the UK Government in Scotland.
Three key transport schemes are to benefit, with plans to create direct links between these new economic hubs and local towns in the west of the Scotland.
Airport link
The largest chunk of cash - some £38.7 million - will go to Renfrewshire Council to help link Paisley town centre with both Glasgow Airport and the nearby Advanced Manufacturing Innovation District Scotland (AMIDS).
As part of this new walking, cycling, bus and car links will be built, allowing local people to benefit from the growth of high value manufacturing in Renfrewshire.
In addition the Scottish Government is being given an extra £3.45 million to suggest ways in which the A75 in Dumfries and Galloway can be upgraded.
The road there links the port in Cairnryan - where ferries sail to Northern Ireland - with the rest of the UK, and as a result is seen as being vital for both transport connections and the economy.
Investing in jobs
Ms Reeves said the UK Government was "pledging billions to back Scottish jobs, industry and renewal".
She added: "That's why we're investing in the major transport projects, including exploring upgrades to the A75, that local communities have been calling for.
"Whilst previous governments oversaw over a decade of decline of our transport infrastructure, we're investing in Britain's renewal.
"This £66 million investment is exactly what our Plan for Change is about, investing in what matters to you in the places that you live."
Welcoming the cash Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said: "This £66 million investment in Scotland's roads demonstrates the UK Government's commitment to improving infrastructure and driving economic growth in all parts of the UK as part of our Plan for Change.
"This investment will make a real difference to people's daily lives and to the local economies of the south of Scotland, Ayrshire and Renfrewshire."
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