Councils call for upgrade of 'outdated and unsafe' roads

A fresh call has been made for government investment to upgrade two major trunk roads in south west Scotland.

The leaders of Dumfries and Galloway Council (DGC) and South Ayrshire Council (SAC) have joined forces to press the case for funding for the A75 and A77.

They said more improvements were needed to address safety concerns and recognise the economic importance of the two transport links.

The Scottish and UK governments said they were aware of the importance of the roads and highlighted investments they had made in both upgrades and exploring future options.

The routes, which are mainly single-carriageway, carry millions of pounds worth of freight every day to and from the North Channel ferry ports at Cairnryan.

The A75 - historically known as a Euroroute - covers almost 100 miles (160km) from the border between Scotland and England at Gretna and on to Stranraer.

The A77 runs down the Ayrshire coast.

Both roads serve the ports at Cairnryan where ferry operators P&O and Stena Line carry passengers and heavy goods vehicles to and from Northern Ireland.

However, there has been long-standing concern about the safety of the two trunk roads.

DGC and SAC said the tight bends and rural nature of the roads slowed traffic considerably, causing congestion that could lead to some drivers taking risks.

They have highlighted figures that show that 32 people have died in crashes across the two trunk routes over the past decade.

The two local authorities are jointly calling for the Scottish and UK governments to consider investing in further route upgrades.

SAC leader Brian Connolly said: "Freight and ferry operators have described the A77 and A75 as outdated and unsafe, and a threat to economic growth.

"This is a sentiment I wholeheartedly agree with."

He has called on political parties to include upgrading the roads in their manifestos for the forthcoming Scottish Parliament elections.

Options for a long-awaited bypass for the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75 are currently being explored.

Ground investigation work is being carried out following a £1.1m investment by Transport Scotland.

However, the South West Scotland Transport Alliance (SWSTA) has previously stated that only a dualled bypass in both directions should be considered.

The group, which is led by Stena Line, P&O Ferries and Belfast Harbour, said anything less would be "failing the communities surrounding the road and those who travel on it".

DGC leader Stephen Thompson said he was pleased that there had been progress on the bypass on the A75.

At the same time he said it was important to recognise that many other sections of the route required attention.

He said: "It's therefore important that we continually lobby for investment."

His stance is backed by the A77 Campaign Group which has called on all Scottish Parliamentary candidates to sign a pledge to champion their cause if elected to Holyrood.

The Scottish government said it recognised the strategic importance of the A75 and A77 to the economy.

A spokesperson said: "That's why we have invested over £15m in 2025/26 in critical safety, maintenance, and infrastructure for both the A75 and A77."

The UK government also acknowledged the vital role both roads play in terms of connectivity and economic growth.

A spokesperson added: "Since the general election in July 2024, the Chancellor has allocated up to £8.45m to explore upgrades to the A75.

"We are committed to working with devolved governments to deliver our transport priorities and ensure the economic benefits of improved connectivity are shared across the UK."