Meeting of the Parliament

Meeting date: Tuesday, January 8, 2019

Official Report 1175KB pdf

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Transport Infrastructure (South-west Scotland)

The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S5M-14266, in the name of Brian Whittle, on transport infrastructure in south-west Scotland. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.

Motion debated,

That the Parliament recognises the importance of good transport links to the economy of south west Scotland and the country as a whole; acknowledges the reported concerns expressed by individuals, businesses and community campaign groups regarding the ability of the existing transport network in the south west, including the A77, A76, A75, the Bellfield interchange and the Stranraer-Ayr and Dumfries-Kilmarnock rail lines, to cope with existing demand; notes that the A77 and A75, which are the main road links used by traffic travelling to and from the Stena Line and P&O ferry terminals at Loch Ryan, are single carriageway roads over much of their length; understands that they offer few safe opportunities for overtaking and pass through a number of communities; believes that several campaign groups have been set up calling for various improvements to transport infrastructure, including investment in the trunk road network to bypass towns and villages and upgrading routes to dual carriageway where possible, the re-opening of Cumnock railway station, and improvements to reliability and quality of rail services; considers that good transport infrastructure plays a valuable role in economic development, tourism and quality of life, and, to boost the area's economy, reduce journey times, improve road safety and give it the best opportunity to succeed, notes calls for the Scottish Government to develop a long-term programme of sustained investment in the south west’s transport infrastructure, similar to investment elsewhere in the country.

17:04  

I am delighted to have brought the debate to the chamber. I thank business and community campaign groups including the A77 action group, the dual the A75 campaign, the Ayr to Stranraer train line action group and the Maybole bypass committee for all their tireless work, and I welcome some of their members to the gallery. The chronic lack of investment in the south-west’s infrastructure being brought to light is due in no small part to those groups’ persistence.

I have a map of Scotland on which all the trunk roads are marked with their speed limits. People can drive on trunk roads from Ayr to Golspie in Sutherland, which is some 275 miles, before hitting a 30mph limit. We can drive from Ayr to Aberdeen, which is 175 miles, or from Ayr to Berwick-upon-Tweed, which is 160 miles, before hitting a 30mph limit. We can drive from Gretna to Barcelona without hitting a 30mph limit.

That is significant because the trunk roads that link Ayr and Gretna to the port of Cairnryan are littered with 20mph and 30mph speed limits, as they go through many small towns and villages that are not set up to take the convoys of 44-tonne lorries and goods vehicles that charge many times a day to and from what is the third-biggest port in the United Kingdom and the biggest port in Scotland. Over the years, the volume of commercial traffic has had significant impacts on the health and wellbeing of the communities’ populations, and on wear and tear on roads and housing.

I took the opportunity of travelling down to Cairnryan on a 44-tonne lorry. I suggest to the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity that the journey is worth taking for anyone who really wants to understand the scale of the problem. Witnessing the driver negotiating the narrow streets of towns including Maybole and Minishant, going through the tight turns in Girvan, and making the slow climb out of Ballantrae on a narrow road, as lorry convoys from the recently docked ferries came the other way was eye opening—and unnerving, in places.

What is more, how big does a pothole have to be for a 44-tonne lorry to swerve to avoid it? The answer is far too big to be safe for other road users. There are too many instances of such manoeuvres having to happen.

The A70, the A75, the A76 and the A77 long ago became unfit for purpose, and have become woefully so over the years. The rail service is far from satisfactory, especially when we look across the country at the investment in the Borders railway. To be frank, we are sometimes relieved that any trains are running at all, given the issues at Ayr station and the Station hotel, which seem to be far from being resolved. After the news that the final structural survey is not due to come out until March, I hope that the cabinet secretary will join me in pushing for a speedy resolution of the questions that hang over the Station hotel’s future.

At one point when the rail link was closed, the A77 was also closed, which in effect cut off south-west Scotland. The diversion along B-class roads, which are even less suited to heavy goods vehicles, adds about an hour to a journey north, and I am sure that the journey feels a lot longer to someone in the back of an ambulance or on a bus to Ayr for cancer treatment. A patient can have a round trip of more than four hours, plus time for medical treatment. That is not fair, apart from anything else.

The timeline of promises over the past decade is worth mentioning. In 2010, the then First Minister, Alex Salmond, promised significant upgrades to the A75 and the A77 when opening the ports. Stena Line invested £240 million and P&O invested £90 million on the back of that promise. In 2011, the then transport secretary, Alex Neil, attacked the previous Labour Administration for its lack of investment in the south-west’s infrastructure and said that that was scandalous.

In 2016, I attended a transport summit in Dumfries that was chaired by the Deputy First Minister and Humza Yousaf, at which they listened to the concerns of freight hauliers, shipping companies, businesses, local people and politicians. In 2017, I organised a meeting between the then Minister for Transport and the Islands and the A77 and A75 action groups, at which he listened. Last year, the new Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity met the action groups and listened. Jeane Freeman has issued annual newsletters proclaiming that this year is the year for the Maybole bypass, only for it to be shown to be an empty promise.

We have had 10 years of talking and listening, but very little action. We now have a south-west infrastructure study that will feed into the national strategic transport projects review 2 paper, which will not be complete for another two years. Call me an old cynic, but it is convenient that that will be just before the next election. It is easier for the Government to discuss what it will do than to justify action that it is responsible for taking—or, as in this instance, for not taking.

While we are having the debate, the Cairnryan to Stranraer route continues to be eroded. The Belfast to Dublin road is now a motorway. When they offload at Holyhead, hauliers go straight on to a dual carriageway. About 45 per cent of Northern Ireland’s trade with the UK currently comes through the port of Cairnryan—much of it is movement of just-in-time goods—and it is worth more than £1 billion. History shows us that once the trade has been lost to other routes, it is unlikely to return. This is not just about the future of the economy of the south-west; it is about the economy of the whole of Scotland.

We should have a cycle route from Ayr to Stranraer, similar to the north coast 500, in order to tap into the huge cycle tourism market. That would be a fabulous route that would attract thousands of enthusiasts. There are so many obvious benefits to proper long-term planning.

I am sure that in their speeches Scottish National Party members will be quick to mention the final arrival of a bypass for Maybole. I ask the cabinet secretary whether there is a contractor for that work, yet.

Let us remind ourselves of a few other infrastructure projects elsewhere in the country that have been completed between the first pledge from the Government for a Maybole bypass and today. There is the Queensferry crossing, at £1.34 billion; the M8, M73 and M74 improvement project, at £415 million; the Aberdeen bypass, which is more or less complete, at £745 million, with the contractor now asking for an increase to £1 billion; the Borders railway line, at £350 million; and the Dalry bypass, at £60 million. If we add the £3 billion commitment to dualling and electrifying the A9, the total is at the thick end of £7 billion of investment in infrastructure projects across Scotland, compared with a proposed £30 million investment in the south-west for the much-delayed Maybole bypass.

The plans that have been submitted are far from ideal and show a lack of foresight from the Scottish Government. The road will not be a dual carriageway. Moreover, the Government has resisted calls to build the bridges in such a way as to be able to convert them to dual carriageway in the future without major reconstruction. That speaks of short-termism and getting away with doing as little as possible.

Throughout the campaign, the ask from all parties has been entirely reasonable and pragmatic: it is for a long-term investment strategy and parity in investment for the south-west. After more than a decade of the SNP Government, it is clear that the south-west of Scotland has never been a priority for this or any other Scottish Government.

Moreover, I think that we have tried to keep the debate politically light, because the outcome is far more important and far-reaching for the south-west than any political agenda. However, we have had to drag ministers to the table to discuss the matter and—to be quite frank—it seems that the SNP has become interested only because of the interest that has been generated by other parties. It should not be beyond people in Parliament to come together to deliver what is obviously needed.

There has been a lot of rhetoric over the past decade and more. That has resulted in the south-west infrastructure network being so neglected that to bring it up to a standard that is fit for purpose will take a level of investment that makes it extremely problematic. However, the longer the south-west is ignored, the more difficult the solution will become. We are beyond debate and discussion. The south-west needs investment and it needs it now. There can be no more excuses.

17:12  

First, I congratulate Brian Whittle on having secured this important debate. It is yet another debate about how we can improve the infrastructure in the south of Scotland, and it demonstrates combined work by members from across the chamber—from constituency members, as well as from South Scotland regional MSPs. I highlight the absolute need for major infrastructure investment and improvement in the south of Scotland. It is important that we all work together, across all parties, for our constituents across the region. I thank the cabinet secretary for being so supportive in my engagement with him.

P&O Ferries has seven crossings daily from Cairnryan to Larne during the week, and Stena Line has six daily crossings from Cairnryan to Belfast. Both companies are responsible for over 10,000 freight-vehicle crossings every year, and all those vehicles access the ports via the main arterial routes—the A75, A76 and A77. That is just an example of how important South Scotland is to the whole United Kingdom, as well as to the Republic of Ireland and the European Union.

I have said in previous debates that there is a need for wider upgrades to infrastructure in South Scotland—in particular, on the A75, A76 and A77. Those main arterial routes connect the south-west to wider Scotland. Businesses, local people and our emergency services rely on the routes for their daily business and operations, and the routes are essential for bringing visitors, tourists and investment to the region.

However, the roads are not fit for purpose, as Brian Whittle outlined. That is causing much upset, dismay and frustration among local people and businesses. I have listened to the people in South Scotland and I am not alone in my desire for more attention and investment. Many people feel isolated and forgotten in our corner of Scotland. I would like the Government to assure me that we are not forgotten and that the necessary work will continue.

In August 2018, I hosted a meeting in Stranraer with representatives from the A75 and A77 action groups. The meeting was attended by the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, Michael Matheson; by representatives from Stena Line and P&O Ferries; and by local members Brian Whittle, Finlay Carson and Colin Smyth. The message from the people who attended the meeting was unanimously clear: the south-west of Scotland requires major transport upgrades, particularly on the three main roads that I have mentioned, in order to attract business and people to the region and to allow the south-west to flourish.

I am sure that the Government understands how important it is for large businesses such as Stena Line and P&O Ferries to remain in the region. Small businesses and microbusinesses, of which we have many, also rely on those important roads. Such businesses are local employers—they attract people to the region and allow for economic growth, so we need to work with them in order to ensure their future. Anecdotal evidence suggests that Stena Line and P&O might even pull out of Cairnryan and move their operations south of the border to Holyhead, where the infrastructure could be described as more favourable. That must not be allowed to happen, so I ask the cabinet secretary for a commitment that he will work with and listen to the concerns of Stena Line and P&O Ferries, as well as those of other businesses.

Shortly before the Christmas recess, I attended a Transport Scotland briefing in Dumfries about the initial findings of the south Scotland strategic roads review. I was encouraged to hear officials acknowledge the need for upgrades, and to hear that they have listened to the voices of local people. I look forward to seeing the results and recommendations being published as soon as possible. I know that the Scottish Government has invested in the A75, A76 and A77—for example, with the creation of the Dunragit bypass and now the Maybole bypass, which was lobbied for for many years and to which my motion late last year related.

We have witnessed lorries passing each other on blind corners on narrow cliff-edge roads near Ballantrae. We have dashcam footage of lorries passing three abreast going uphill on the Gatehouse of Fleet bypass. There have been too many deaths on the roads. I hear and know the frustration of the roads’ users: I declare an interest as one of those users.

I reiterate the comments and thoughts of my constituents and businesses on the need for major upgrade improvements to the A75, A76 and A77. I also recognise the work that the Scottish Government has carried out in progressing the south-west Scotland transport study, and I encourage the cabinet secretary to publish the full findings and recommendations of the study as soon as possible.

Finally, I take the opportunity to stress to the cabinet secretary how important it is for the SNP Government to ensure that people in the south-west of Scotland are listened to, are connected to wider Scotland, the central belt and the rest of the UK and, most important, that they feel as though they are not forgotten.

17:17  

I thank my colleague, Brian Whittle, for securing this hugely important debate and for raising a matter that is of great concern to my constituents in Galloway and West Dumfries in the far-too-often forgotten and ignored south-west of Scotland.

Having been born and brought up on the edge of the A75, I am acutely aware of the need for upgrades to our transport infrastructure and that need has never been more urgent. Over the past 20 years, investment in Dumfries and Galloway has been significantly reduced in comparison with other major trunk roads. Compare that investment to the time of Ian Lang and Sir Hector Monro, when they delivered new bypasses and other major upgrades at Glenluce, Newton Stewart, Palnure, Carsluith, Creetown, Gatehouse of Fleet, Barluka, Ringford, Bridge of Dee, Castle Douglas, Dumfries, Collin and Annan—what a record compared with the example that we have had today of, I think, two bypasses from this SNP Government and its predecessors. The local SNP members merely skirted around the issue during Emma Harper’s recent members’ debate on the subject. Of course, I welcome investment in other poor roads in Scotland, but not at the expense of the south-west. We just want equality and equity of investment. The current trend of ignoring the routes in the south-west of Scotland, including the A77 and A75, cannot continue.

In 2016, I attended the much-heralded transport conference in Dumfries where the Deputy First Minister and the transport minister promised action on transport. Two and a half years later, the people of the south-west of Scotland are saying a big thank you for nothing.

The Deputy First Minister, Mr Swinney, has a history of promising and not delivering. On a pre-election visit to Stranraer in April 2016, he announced five key pledges for the south of Scotland, including further improvements to the A75 and A77, calling the package

“an ambitious action plan for the South”.

It had a timescale. Aileen McLeod welcomed the announcement, saying she was confident that the improvements would

“make a massive difference to this region over the next five years.”

She went on to say that

“only by casting ... votes for the SNP ... can we ensure these are delivered in full.”

Well, the SNP is in government, but until now the only thing that it has delivered is broken pledges.

I am committed to supporting the vital port of Cairnryan. The cabinet secretary will have been left in no doubt about its importance, following the meeting that we were both at in Stranraer last August, which was attended by Stena and P&O.

The Freight Transport Association’s policy manager for Scotland, Chris MacRae, said:

“For such a key route, the lack of consistent road surface is a headache for both freight operators and local residents, and deserves urgent attention. Bypasses need to be constructed as a priority for the villages that the road currently travels through, and we would urge Transport Scotland to investigate the possibility of duplicating the current A9 pilot scheme, which uses average speed cameras and increased speed limits of 50mph, to keep this key economic corridor to and from Northern Ireland open and functioning efficiently.”

Cairnryan handles around 45 per cent of Northern Ireland’s trade with the UK. There are around 9,000 sailings a year on the Loch Ryan to Belfast route, accounting for 410,000 units of freight. The route has grown by 1.3 per cent over the past year, but that is outstripped by far greater growth in movements between the ports of Holyhead and Dublin. According to the FTA,

“That will only continue if the inadequate quality of the A75 and A77 is not addressed soon.”

The feeling of being forgotten was extremely apparent last year when trains did not run for more than two months on the Ayr to Stranraer line. While the safety issues at Ayr Station hotel could not be ignored, full rail route closures in future will not be tolerated by people from Stranraer. I seek the cabinet secretary’s assurance that contingency plans are in place to ensure that such closures do not happen. The line is a lifeline for rural commuters heading for work, further education and social activities, yet at times my constituents could have been forgiven for believing that they might never see a train running again on the line.

Like Brian Whittle, I pay tribute to the campaign groups that are fighting tirelessly for transport infrastructure upgrades in the south-west. The A77 action group and the dual the A75 campaigners in particular have highlighted why those roads deserve to be brought into the modern age. It is time that those groups and the south-west were paid more than just lip service. We do not need report after report and review after review. We do not need a Government that just listens. We do not need a Government that just makes pledges. We need a Government that listens and then delivers on its pledges, and nowhere is that need greater than in the south-west of Scotland.

17:22  

There has been substantial investment in road and rail infrastructure in the south-west of Scotland since 2007. That has been welcomed by those of us who were in Parliament then who campaigned for that investment, and welcomed, too, by the many hundreds of thousands of commuters who benefited at the time and still do. The problems had been evident for many years. Why those works were not carried out prior to the Scottish National Party taking power remains a mystery that perhaps only our colleagues in the Tory and Labour parties can explain.

On the roads network, around 10 schemes on the A77 and A75 were introduced by this Government and an investment of around £85 million was committed.

Will the member take an intervention?

No thanks.

The infamous problems and dangers at the Symington to Bogend toll, just south of my constituency, were finally attended to by this Government, making that road much safer for commuters and the significant farming community that has to access the road at all times of the day. I recall some horrific incidents on the road over many years, yet nothing was done about it until the SNP Government came into office. We should all acknowledge that. That investment alone was more than £10 million and was money well spent.

Along with my colleagues at the time, I campaigned for the introduction of the half-hourly rail service from Kilmarnock to Glasgow, which has been a huge success. Not only has the frequency of services doubled but the investment in the stations, platforms and car parking that has gone along with it has transformed the rail service to Glasgow for people in Ayrshire. As I recall, that investment cost around £38 million. It had been talked about for eight years in Parliament before 2007 but, like the Symington improvements, nothing was done about it—until this Government put up the money and got it done.

That is just the Kilmarnock to Glasgow line. From 2014, more than £146 million has been spent on rail infrastructure, track renewal and refurbishment and signalling improvements. From 2007, parliamentary answers show that about £190 million has been spent on maintaining the A77, A75 and A76; that is a substantial investment that exceeds by some margin anything that was done prior to that. When Labour was in power, it delivered—

Excuse me, Mr Coffey. Could members please extend the courtesy to Mr Coffey that is extended to them when making contributions?

I look forward to hearing contributions that might be made to the debate, Presiding Officer.

When Labour was in power in Scotland, it delivered one major project on the A75. In the first five years of the SNP Government, more than £36 million was spent on that road, compared with Labour’s £6 million. In the same period, on the A77 in south Ayrshire, this Government has spent more than £35 million, compared with the previous Administration’s paltry spend of about £1.9 million. Looking back into the mists of Hansard, there are mentions from way back in 1989 and onwards of projects in Ayrshire and the south-west that never got started. Dunragit, Bennane, Barlae and Maybole were all mentioned as early as 1989 but all had to wait for the SNP to arrive and deliver.

On the horizon was the Maybole bypass, another scheme that had been talked about for decades but on which nothing was ever done. My former colleague Adam Ingram, who was the MSP for Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley, was a champion of that project, which will be delivered by this Government at a cost of about £30 million.

Looking ahead to south-west Scotland’s future needs, Transport Scotland is undertaking that work as part of its strategic transport projects review. A key part of that is how we better connect Ayrshire—not just to Glasgow and then to stop there, but to Edinburgh and the north, particularly by rail, to the south of Scotland and the Borders and, perhaps, to the ports of Dublin and Dún Laoghaire in the Republic of Ireland via our excellent ferry ports. That direct connection would provide a huge boost to the Ayrshire economy.

Far from the tale of lack of investment that is spun by the Tories and their Labour supporters, the facts are quite different and show that, when it comes to delivering transport infrastructure projects in the south-west, the SNP Government has delivered. This Government will continue to deliver for the people of the south-west of Scotland.

17:28  

I thank Brian Whittle for lodging his motion, and declare an interest as the chair of a local campaign group to reopen Eastriggs railway station on the Nith valley line in south-west Scotland.

In November, when we debated in this chamber the roads infrastructure in the south-west, I stressed that the fundamental issue is not simply about roads; it is about the economy. Much of the south-west of Scotland is plagued by low pay, rising unemployment and an outward migration of young people because of a lack of local high-skilled and high-paid employment opportunities in the area. There is no doubt that the lack of investment in our infrastructure—physical and digital—has contributed to those economic weaknesses and acted as a barrier to growth for existing firms and to our ability to attract new businesses to south-west Scotland.

Both the A75 and the A77 are of strategic importance not just to south-west Scotland but to all of Scotland, the north of England and Northern Ireland. They provide clear connectivity to the ferry port at Cairnryan, yet both roads are simply not fit for purpose. I have no doubt that, had the ferry companies known that there would be so little investment in the A75 and A77 from the current Government in recent years, they may well not have made their investments in the Cairnryan ferry terminals. At a time when the Government is pledging £3 billion to dual the A9 from Perth to Inverness, it is a scandal that just 1 per cent of that sum is planned for investment in trunk road upgrade projects in the whole of south-west Scotland.

The south-west is the forgotten part of Scotland when it comes to road improvements, and the issues are not confined to the A75 and A77. The A76, which links Dumfries and Galloway to East Ayrshire, cuts through many communities whose local economies have never recovered from the impact of the closure of the mines. Part of that so-called trunk road, at Enterkinfoot, has been reduced to a single lane with traffic lights for more than four years now; that is a symptom of the lack of urgency about road improvements in the area.

I pay tribute to the members of the A75, the A76 and the A77 action groups, some of whom are in the public gallery, for their work in highlighting the plight of the communities along those roads. They are being let down by the lack of urgency and investment. Fortunately, they do not share Willie Coffey’s view that everything is fine.

As the motion highlights, the inadequacies in our transport infrastructure in the south-west of Scotland go beyond roads. Much has been said in recent weeks about the roll-out of the new ScotRail timetable. However, that new timetable has completely bypassed the south-west, with no increased services, although given the shambolic way in which it has been implemented in other areas, with cancellations, delays and overcrowding, maybe that is a blessing. Whether it is TransPennine Express or Virgin Rail from Lockerbie or ScotRail from Dumfries, Stranraer and Ayr, it remains the case that services in the area are just not frequent enough and are holding back the area’s economy. The potential to get more people off our roads and on to our trains in the area is enormous, but that potential is not being realised.

This issue has not been mentioned so far, but it is also no exaggeration to say that in many parts of the south-west the bus network is close to collapse, with recent cuts in routes across Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway. I can tell the cabinet secretary that there are many more cuts on the way unless firm action is taken to invest in supporting our bus network in the area.

I am sure that, in summing up, the cabinet secretary will point to the south-west transport study that is being carried out, which will feed into the strategic transport projects review. However, the completion of that review is years, not months, away. It is not clear how the south-west study will influence the outcome of the Scotland-wide review or even how the many projects that I am sure will be listed in the south-west study will be prioritised for investment, so that it does not become a wish list that is never delivered.

What is clear is that the clock is ticking. A fairer share of transport investment needs to come to the south-west of Scotland to support the local economy—an economy that simply cannot wait for the outcome of a review that is still years away.

17:32  

I congratulate Brian Whittle on securing time for this important debate. It has given me the opportunity, yet again, to hear more about the problems, opportunities, issues and matters of concern that relate to transport infrastructure in the south-west of Scotland.

A number of points that have been raised in the debate are very similar to points that were raised in the debate on 6 November, which was secured by Emma Harper. The debate has also echoed many of the points that I heard when I visited Stranraer in August last year. I know that a number of members who are present attended that meeting along with local campaigners.

I am conscious that such debates can become quite fractious around where spending should be prioritised, but I reassure all members that the Scottish Government recognises the importance of transport links in the south-west of Scotland not just to those who live there but to the local, regional and national economies. As Willie Coffey rightly pointed out, although some people might not like it, the reality is that the Government has made significant investment over its term of office. Having said that, I recognise that, for some people, that is just not enough. Many of the projects that we have completed in other parts of the country bring wider economic benefits to the whole of Scotland.

Several members have referred to the Maybole bypass. I confirm that the tender competition for the A77 Maybole bypass has now been concluded and there is now a mandatory standstill period. The winning contractor will be announced at the end of the standstill period. Construction work is expected to commence early this year, once the successful contractor starts the programme of work that they have set out. There is absolutely no doubt that the project will help to separate local traffic from those who are travelling further afield—particularly the heavy goods vehicles that might be going to the port of Cairnryan.

I had the pleasure of meeting the Maybole bypass committee a number of months ago. The meeting was hosted by Jeane Freeman, and we were there to hear about people’s experiences of the problems with traffic passing through Maybole. The committee members were pleased to hear about the progress that was being made. and I put on record again my thanks for their commitment to the issue, which has lasted many decades. They have been determined to see improvements made to Maybole, and the bypass will be delivered during the coming year.

A significant difference will be made to a town such as Maybole. It is estimated that the bypass will reduce traffic on the high street by approximately 50 per cent and the number of heavy goods vehicles that pass through Maybole will be cut by 90 per cent. There is no doubt that that will be a significant benefit for those who live and work in the area of Maybole and those who go further afield.

We also recognise the important role of our strategic road network and our rail network. The A75 and A77 provide important links to the port of Cairnryan, which is used for daily journeys for freight and passengers going to and coming from Northern Ireland. Many businesses in the south-west of Scotland and further afield rely on those transport links to get goods and materials and to access key markets.

In response to the concern that Emma Harper raised, I can say that we fully recognise the important role that the port of Cairnryan plays in the south-west and in Scotland as a whole. We want to see it continue to play an important part in our economy.

We are having to implement a range of different programmes across our transport network, whether in road, rail, freight or air, in challenging financial circumstances. The fiscal environment makes it challenging to set the priorities in which we want to invest to get the right type of return for local areas and for the country as a whole. Of course, we want to support economic development across the country, and the south-west of Scotland is no different. However, a process must be undertaken to identify where the strategic investments should be made.

We have commenced the second strategic transport project review. That will not take years to happen; it has already started and its initial focus has been on the south-west of Scotland. I understand that a number of members who are in the chamber tonight took the opportunities that were provided to participate in elements of that study. Briefing sessions were held in Dumfries and Ayr, and I thank those who took the time out of their days to participate in those events.

The study is now moving forward at pace. Since the debate that we held on 6 November, the stakeholder engagement programme has been completed and work to summarise and report on the outcome from that programme is being done. I am encouraged to hear that 3,200 people responded to the public survey and the successful stakeholder events that were delivered in Stranraer, Maybole and Dumfries. The sessions in Dumfries and Ayr also allowed a number of members who are here tonight to participate in the programme. I put on record my thanks to those in the local communities who participated.

If it would help, I would be happy to give members some information about the initial feedback from the stakeholder programme, which has reinforced the importance of some of the areas that we thought would be priorities. Some particularly important points have been made about access to the port and the impact that freight has on the existing road network and how it can be reduced, particularly on the A75 and A77. There has also been a call for improved integration of bus and rail services and a call to address the lack of resilience in the road network when incidents occur.

Now that that part of the process has been completed, it will move forward to the next stage of developing options to address the key issues that have been highlighted through the engagement process. The possibility of further appraisals of some of those specific options will be considered, and the work will then form part of the overall thinking behind our strategic transport projects review.

I recognise that members have come along this evening to put the case for the south-west.

Will the minister take an intervention?

Let me just finish this point.

However, I have no doubt that members from the north-east, the north-west and the south-east would all argue for strategic investments in their respective regions. As a Government, we look at such matters responsibly, considering the range of priorities across the country before coming to collective decisions on the most appropriate measures to invest in and support in order to achieve the strategic transport projects review’s recommended outcomes.

I am happy to give way to Mr Carson.

I will allow it just this once, Mr Carson.

With regard to the review that is currently being undertaken, if a report comes out that says that time-critical investments in a road are needed as a matter of urgency, will the cabinet secretary commit to producing the finance to undertake those investments prior to the completion of the national review?

I find it a wee bit rich that the Conservatives are demanding that we bring forward capital spending when the UK Government is doing everything that it can to cut our capital budget year in, year out. When it comes to demanding capital spend, the member is on pretty thin ice given the UK Government’s track record and its repeated cuts to our capital budgets.

The member will be aware that there is a maintenance programme for dealing with any urgent matters. The second strategic transport projects review is the key approach that we must take, and it looks at all the demands right across the transport network, whether in road, rail, ferries or air transport—all those matters must be considered.

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

No, Mr Smyth.

I will finish on the difficulties that the poor state of the Ayr Station hotel building has caused, given the risk that it posed to the line in Ayr. It is very clear that consecutive administrations in South Ayrshire Council should have taken action at a much earlier stage, given the deterioration of the building. The council has a responsibility to the local community to take action on it, but, over a considerable period of time, it has not taken the necessary action. The Government stepped in and created a task force to make sure that appropriate measures were taken and to provide the necessary financial support to encapsulate the building and make it safe in order to allow the line to continue to be used.

We will continue to do what we can to get the right investments in our transport network right across Scotland, including in the south-west. I am committed to continuing to listen to the views of those in the south-west of Scotland on what our priorities should be.

Meeting closed at 17:43.