Transport Secretary declines meeting to discuss A77
MPs John Cooper and Elaine Stewart have written to Fiona Hyslop again.
Scottish Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop is “running scared” of a meeting with MPs to discuss the A77 road, claims Dumfries and Galloway’s MP.
John Cooper – the region’s representative at Westminster – and Elaine Stewart – Labour MP for Ayr, Carrick, and Cumnock – wrote a joint letter to Miss Hyslop seeking a meeting to discuss the road.
The Conservatives MP said: “Disappointingly, she has declined, saying that as transport is devolved to Holyrood, it would be ‘inappropriate” to meet’.
“It’s ridiculous to claim the devolution settlement means she cannot meet us. As MPs, we can raise any issue our constituents may have – and the terrible state of the A77 is an issue for thousands of people.
“It strikes me that Miss Hyslop is running scared of legitimate criticism and is using the Westminster/Holyrood divide as a shield.
“A joint letter reaches across party-political lines and is a reflection of how worried people are about the A77.
“It’s laughable too that an SNP politician is pointing to the devolution deal as though it stops her talking to MPs. Plenty of her Nationalist colleagues are more than happy to talk about things that are reserved to Westminster when it suits them.”
The joint letter raised the specific issue of the temporary lights in Glen App at Carlock Wall, just north of the key ferry terminals in Cairnryan.
The works at Carlock are part of a phased programme of upgrading on the A77. The Scottish Government has admitted that progress has been slow because the site is “extremely challenging, both geotechnically and topographically.”
Mr Cooper said: “These temporary lights have been in place for years, following previous years of the road being down to a single lane for landslip works.
“It is claimed works are ongoing on the hillside above the road, but it all seems to be progressing at a snail’s pace and, rather than dodging meetings, Miss Hyslop should be getting a grip and lighting a fire under her department to get this critical road sorted.
“I travel both the A77 and the A75 frequently, and I know the very many constituents who contact me about both roads are worried about a lack of action on safety and environmental grounds.”
A Scottish Government spokesman said: “The Scottish Government remains committed to improving the A77. We recognise its strategic importance to Scotland’s economy, and that is why the Transport Secretary and First Minister both met with local stakeholders to discuss improvements to the route at the end of 2024.
“The Transport Secretary also has further engagement planned in the coming months.
“We have given a firm commitment through the second Strategic Transport Projects Review to invest in the safety, resilience and reliability of the A77, as well as the A75.
“This will include improving junctions, enhancing overtaking opportunities and widening or realigning carriageways to alleviate ‘pinch points’ such as narrow structures or at stretches of older standard single carriageway.
“Four major improvement schemes on the A77 have been opened by this government since 2007.
“This is in addition to the £134 million that has been spent to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the route.”