Local MSP Brian Whittle has criticised the Scottish Green party after it emerged they would insist on scrapping projects to build or upgrade roads across Scotland and ruling out future roads projects as part of their price for supporting the SNP’s budget.
South Scotland MSP Brian Whittle has been campaigning with groups across the region to deliver improvements to the rail network and key trunk roads including the A77 and the Bellfield Interchange and persuaded the Scottish Government to undertake a detailed study of options. The draft version of this study recommended a number of improvements to the road network be considered, including bypassing various towns and further upgrades to improve safety and deliver faster, more consistent journey times.
In response to the Greens announcement, Brian is warning the Scottish Government not to agree to their demands.
“If the Scottish Government agreed to the Greens demands, not only would it be a slap in the face for people in South Scotland who have watched on as other parts of Scotland have had billions of pounds spent on road improvements, it would be the worst kind of gesture environmentalism.
We need to take action on climate change, but there are better ways to do it than proposing to condemn drivers to roads trunk roads that are in desperate need of upgrading. I want to see better rail links, I want to see better public transport, but I also recognise that improving routes like the A77 can have real environmental benefits – reducing emissions in towns with more bypasses, cutting congestion and journey times with more overtaking opportunities, reducing the need for road closures and long diversions with properly engineered surfaces.
Rather than trying to take us backwards with the Scottish Greens, I want the Scottish Government to invest in the transport network of the future, with road improvements including new cycle lanes, electric charging infrastructure for cars and buses alongside investment in better rail links.”
