A75 diversion damage

Roads within local communities are being “severely” damaged due to high volumes of heavy goods vehicles being diverted from the A75, a councillor has claimed.

And Richard Marsh insists that Dumfries and Galloway Council should be compensated by Transport Scotland and Amey Highways for the repair works and maintenance of such roads in the region.

The Stranraer and the Rhins councillor will table a motion at Dumfries and Galloway’s full council meeting this Thursday calling for action around the A75 diversionary routes.

His motion, which has been seconded by his Novantae Group councillor colleague David Inglis, states: “Members will be well aware that the A75 is a key strategic trunk road, the main Euro route linking Northern Ireland ferry ports with Scotland’s central belt and also south to England, carrying extremely high volumes of HGV and ferry traffic.

“When the A75 is closed, whether it be due to accidents, which have occurred with much greater frequency in the last 18 months, or for essential maintenance work or resurfacing, significant volumes of heavy traffic are diverted onto our local road networks across Dumfries and Galloway.

“Amey, under contract with Transport Scotland, maintains the A75 and operates specified diversion routes officially agreed with Dumfries and Galloway Council, which utilises our ‘A road’ network as no other alternative exists.

“The ‘B road’ network within Dumfries and Galloway was never designed to accommodate such volumes of traffic, including countless heavy goods vehicles. The impact on road condition is severe and significant, leading to a more rapid deterioration, increased potholes, and genuine safety concerns for local communities.

“Even where specified and agreed diversion routes are in place, hauliers and ferry traffic frequently use the shortest alternative ‘B road’ routes across the region, ignoring the ‘official’ diversion routes agreed with Dumfries and Galloway Council.”

The councillor gave a recent example of a five-night closure of the A75 at the beginning of September just outside of Newton Stewart for resurfacing.

He claimed that the official diversionary routes were being ignored by a “large number of hauliers and other ferry traffic”.

The motion asks other councillors to support a letter being written to Amey and Transport Scotland, requesting that they support the council by contributing to the maintenance and improvement of all agreed diversion routes for the A75.

Councillor Marsh wants these routes to be recognised as “de facto trunk road alternatives” when the A75 is unavailable for use.

The motion also calls for Transport Scotland to provide a report to the council on the frequency and duration of past A75 closures and the usage of diversionary routes on our regional road network, over the last two years.

If agreed, council leader Stephen Thompson would also be instructed to write to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to highlight the disproportionate burden being placed on the region’s local road network, and to seek urgent consideration of funding support for remedial works.