Ferry operators have revealed their “dismay” at the Scottish Government over the lack of improvements for two key routes to the port at Cairnryan.
StenaLine and P&O Ferries have been working with Belfast Harbour on ideas to improve the A75 and A77 and came up with 20 ideas in a document called Safer, Greener, Better.
However, when the Scottish Government published its second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) earlier this year, only two of the proposals – a bypass for Springholm and Crocketford on the A75 and improving the A77 in South Ayrshire – made the final cut. There was a partial commitment to three other ideas.
A joint statement from StenaLine’s Irish Sea trade director Paul Grant, P&O Ferries North Sea director of operations Riccardo Tonelli and Belfast Harbour’s port director Michael Robinson warned of the potential ramifications if no further improvements are forthcoming.
It stated: “We must be clear that our commercial decisions are deeply impacted by the environment in which we operate.
“We have already seen evidence of customers being pushed to ports such as Heysham and Liverpool, where there they meet safer and better quality roads, and we cannot avoid the inevitability that STPR2 poses a material risk to future investment.
“We are deeply dismayed at the Scottish Government’s proposals. We have engaged in what we felt were very productive discussions for over three years with the Scottish Government and with Transport Scotland.
“We felt we had a mutual understanding of what was required and a mutual commitment to making the necessary improvements.
“Given the Scottish Government’s focus on environmental welfare, it is difficult to understand the failure to commit to significant improvements on these high-emission roads, which are the only alternativ to air transport for those travelling between Northern Ireland and Scotland.
“This is a missed opportunity to cut carbon emissions.”
In response, a spokesman for Transport Scotland said STPR2 would guide future infrastructure investment while the programme of trunk road improvements to boost safety would continue.
He added: “We need to balance the extensive changes required to meet our net-zero ambitions with our duty to ensure Scotland has high quality infrastructure to meet the needs of all residents, businesses and visitors.
“Stranraer and the ports at Cairnryan act as an important gateway to Scotland for ferry passengers and freight and we have engaged with this group of stakeholders throughout the STPR2 process.
“The Minister for Transport is keen to meet both Stena and P&O to discuss their concerns further.
“This would include, but is not limited to, enhancing overtaking opportunities, widening or realigning carriageways and improving junctions.”
