A74 (Hansard, 9 November 1988)

§ 6. Mr. Bellingham
To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement on progress with plans to modernise the A74.

§ The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland (Lord James Douglas-Hamilton)
The Government are committed to upgrading the A74 to motorway status. The A74 route corridor has been divided into three sections for feasibility study purposes and a consulting engineer has been commissioned for each. Final reports should be available fairly soon, but it will take some time to assess the consultants' findings and recommendations.

§ Mr. Bellingham
As one who holidays regularly in Scotland and often uses the A74, I welcome my hon. Friend's comments. Does he agree that it is surprising, when so much money has been spent on Scotland's road infrastructure, that this road has been neglected, given that it is Scotland's most important road? Is my hon. Friend aware that there have been many fatal crossover accidents on the A74? Surely it is time to have crash barriers installed down the whole length of the road.

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
I note my hon. Friend's comments about crash barriers. It is important for the infrastructure of the lowlands of Scotland that this development should go ahead as soon as practicable. Studies are progressing as quickly as possible, but it will be next year before preliminary conclusions can be drawn. It will not be until late 1989 that a public announcement can be made and draft orders prepared. Work on the first scheme of the project will begin as quickly as possible, and continue through the 1990s. I shall look into my hon. Friend's point about crash barriers and accidents and let him know the results.

§ Mr. McKelvey
Does the Minister recall that on his recent visit to Kilmarnock he travelled along the A77, which joins the A74? Does he realise that that is the main route from Kilmarnock to the south? Is the hon. Gentleman aware that almost 15 miles of that four-lane route have no barrier or central reservation and that frequently there are serious accidents on those stretches? Will the hon. Gentleman ensure that in the foreseeable future barriers are placed down the whole length of the A77?

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
The hon. Gentleman's point does not spring from this question, but I shall look into it and let him have a full reply on crash barriers. We still have to make decisions on the allocations for the roads programme for next year, and I shall be in touch with the hon. Gentleman about that.

§ Mr. Jack
rose——

§ Mr. Speaker
Order. Does this road go through Fylde?

§ Mr. Jack
My question is about Scotland, Mr. Speaker.

§ Mr. Speaker
Then I call Mr. Jack.

§ Mr. Jack
Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Will my hon. Friend confirm that the A77 is not the only road improvement at which he is looking or which has been completed in Scotland, and that other projects have made a major contribution to the improved Scottish infrastructure and to improvements in the economy which seem to have been ignored by the Opposition?

§ Lord James Douglas-Hamilton
More than £100 million is spent each year on the Scottish trunk roads programme. The building of the M74, like the building of the A9, will be spread over a considerable number of years. We shall bear in mind the needs of all the other road programmes throughout Scotland.