A77 action group targets First Minister with campaign for upgrades
The group is encouraging supporters to write to Nicola Sturgeon.
Last updated 22nd Feb 2021
The A77 action group is encouraging people in the south west of Scotland to support calls for major upgrades by writing to the First Minister.
The campaign group has been pushing for the road between Ayr and Stranraer to be made into a dual carriageway.
Members claim the route is currently unable to cope with the level of ferry traffic and improvements would boost the economy in both Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway.
On its Facebook page, there is now a call for supporters to take the campaign to Nicola Sturgeon by writing letters.
It says, "For far too long the south west of Scotland has been treated unfairly and been forgotten, ignored, neglected and deprived of capital investment on its major A77 & A75 trunk roads.
"£83m has been spent in the south west corner of Scotland out of a £10.5bn Roads Investment Programme over 10 Years.
"That is the question we want answered as the First Minister."
John Campbell from Maybole is one of the leading members of the action group and successfully helped to secure a bypass for the town.
He says, "Why are we only getting a fraction of a fraction of the capital spend?
"It's the most deprived area in the whole of Scotland according to the official figures. All the young people are leaving because they can't get proper employment and we blame the roads for this.
"We have been informed by Transport Scotland officials last week about phase one of a programme for new roads over the next 20 years. There will be no new projects for the A77 and A75 in the first five years."
More information on the action group and a template letter to the First Minister can be found here.