New report says dualling A77 & A75 would bring £5bn of 'positive benefits'
Council leaders in Southwest Scotland and Northern Ireland are joining forces to demand lifeline funding to improve the A77 & A75.
Last updated 30th Mar 2023
Council leaders in Southwest Scotland and Northern Ireland are joining forces to demand lifeline funding to improve the A77 & A75 roads.
Multi-mile stretches of roads that connect Northern Ireland with mainland Britain are single track and leading to the local economy missing out on millions of pounds worth of income, a new report says.
Leaders from South Ayrshire Council, Dumfries & Galloway Council & the Mayor of Mid & East Antrim are all backing the report which says upgrading the roads to dual carriageways would bring £5 Billion of “positive benefits” to the UK economy.
The report by European engineering consultancy, Sweco, also says the benefits range from reduced journey times and vehicle operating costs worth up to £700 million to combined CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) savings of around £95 million.
The roads – which run from Ayr to Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway and from Stranraer to Gretna – are mainly single carriageway, with heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) restricted to a 40mph speed limit causing heavy tailbacks.
READ MORE: Road campaigners call on FM hopefuls to prioritise forgotten A77 & A75
Congestion is commonplace when the routes go through towns and villages, and on southern stretches of the A77 landslides are frequent.
Now the council areas are calling on both governments to stop ignoring the ‘vital’ roads.
Councillor Martin Dowey, Leader of South Ayrshire Council said: “This is a call to action for the Scottish Government. These proposals could not only save lives but would generate billions of pounds of transformational benefits.
“We have deliberately included a number of localised solutions such as a bypass-only option, but it’s clear that these smaller fixes would not generate the same impact as full dualling. This option combined with rail improvements would vastly reduce journey times and greatly benefit transport users, businesses, and the working population.
“I would encourage the Scottish and UK Governments to read the report and engage with us to find workable solutions.”
Councillor Gail Macgregor, Leader of Dumfries and Galloway Council said: “In our newly launched five-year Council Plan we talk about Dumfries and Galloway as a strategic location with a transport corridor linking England, Scotland, and Northern Ireland.
“Upgrading the A75 and A77 – these vital conduits for communities and commerce – would unlock this transport corridor and with it the potential of southwest Scotland.
READ MORE: Southwest roads in Scotland only received 0.04% of £10.5 Billion
“What we want is recognition from the Scottish and UK Government of the key role transport and travel has on improving our communities and economy. Recognition at Government level that there is a need to invest in the A75 and A77 routes. And recognition of the importance of our ports and that there is an economic imperative to protect their competitiveness.
“When recognition goes past promises to real investment, that’s when we’ll be working towards a new future for our region.”
Mayor of Mid and East Antrim, Alderman Noel Williams said: “The Northern Ireland economy depends heavily on the transport connections with Scotland, and the onward network plays a crucial role in facilitating this connectivity. Upgrading the A77/A75 will significantly improve the connectivity between Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom and provide local businesses with significant benefits.”