Scottish Parliament to debate call for A75 average speed cameras in Dumfries and Galloway

The need to improve the A75 will be discussed in the Scottish Parliament early in the New Year.

Galloway and West Dumfries MSP Finlay Carson has secured a members’ debate on January 11.

It comes after 70 people attended a public meeting in Crocketford calling for urgent action to bypass the village and nearby Springholm.

The gathering was prompted by a five vehicle accident in Crocketford in November.

Mr Carson said: “I am delighted that the A75 will be discussed in the chamber at Holyrood under members’ business in early January.

“The matter has been ignored for far too long now, and it is only right that MSPs from all sides will be given the chance to air their thoughts as to why the Scottish Government has continued to push improvements to this key route into the long grass.”

Mr Carson is also pushing for average speed cameras to be installed in the two villages.

The second version of Holyrood’s strategic transport review includes plans to upgrade the A75, with Springholm and Crocketford among places listed for improvement – but no date for the work has been set.

During a debate in parliament, Mr Carson told Transport Secretary Michael Matheson: “To say that the final STPR2 report is a damp squib would be an understatement. It is simply a regurgitation of what we already know.

“Will the cabinet secretary let the good people of Crocketford and Springholm know when the construction of bypasses is likely to begin, because I know that, despite the cabinet secretary’s rhetoric to the contrary, positive talks between the Scottish and United Kingdom Governments are on-going to find a way for the UK to invest in the A75?

“Will he commit to exploring the option of installing, as a matter of urgency, average-speed cameras to protect the communities from speeding drivers?”

Mr Matheson replied: “It is important that we take forward the process through the STPR2 mechanism, which has identified improvements to the A75. It builds on the south west Scotland transport corridor study that was carried out, which identifies a number of areas in which improvements need to be made.

“As we have already stated, that will have to fit into our capital spending programme and we must recognise that capital investment in public sector infrastructure is under considerable pressure for a number of reasons.

“One of the major reasons for it being under significant pressure is that the UK Government has not kept up with the inflation that it has caused in capital budgets, which means, in effect, that our capital budgets are cut.

“If Finlay Carson is keen to ensure there is greater investment in the Scottish trunk road network, he should speak to his bosses in London and ask them for more capital budget to allow us to do that.”