HC Deb 19 December 1995 vol 268 cc1058-60W
Mr. Gallie

To ask the Secretary of State for Scotland if he will make a statement about his programme of improvements to the trunk road schemes network in 1996–97 and in the subsequent two years. [7693]

Mr. Michael Forsyth

Scotland's trunk road network is vital to the continuing health of Scotland's economy. We are committed to ensuring that it continues to give the highest service to all its users. Our strategy is to give priority to the key routes of major importance to the economy and my new plans will ensure further rapid progress in that strategy. Our priorities are the A74, central Scotland motorway network, A 1 and A96, but the plans will also allow significant improvements on other important parts of the trunk road network. In all, I plan for 17 major schemes to start in the next three years.

I have already announced our decision to complete the final A74 upgrade project as a design, build, finance and operate scheme. Final tendering on that scheme will be under way soon with construction starting in 1997—fulfilling our commitment to complete the A74 upgrade by 2000. Our additional plans for the financial year 1996–97 are:

  • M8 Newbridge underpass
  • M90 Halbeath interchange
  • A96 Kintore bypass
  • A96 Blackburn bypass
  • A9 Logic Easter
  • A68 Dalkeith bypass
  • A830 Lock Nan Uamh to Polnish bridge.

The following schemes are planned to start between April 1997 and March 1999:

  • M8 Baillieston to Newhouse (DBFO)
  • including Newhouse to Shotts (Junctions 5-6) (DBFO)
  • M80 Stepps to Cumbernauld (DBFO) M77 Fenwick to Floak
  • A1 Haddington to Dunbar
  • A830 Arisaig to Kinsadel
  • A828 Creagan Bridge
  • A75 The Glen
  • A92 Balmedie to Tipperty.

This is an ambitious programme involving substantial levels of investment. Private finance will have an increasing role to play in ensuring that we fulfil these commitments. I have already referred to the completion of the A74 upgrade by private finance. I also intend that private finance will be used for the M8 Baillieston scheme completing the motorway link between Glasgow and Edinburgh. A tender for that scheme will be issued next year to allow work to commence in the following year. It is also my intention to use private finance to take forward the M80 Stepps-Cumbernauld scheme. Subject to the successful completion of statutory procedures, I am planning for construction to start towards the end of this three-year programme. These are important links in the motorway system and will take us near to fulfilment of the objective of completing that network and they are major opportunities for the private sector and will ensure that we remain in the forefront of developments in the private finance initiative.

But public finance has an important role to play; the increased use of private finance complements those resources and ensures that we can make rapid progress on a variety of other long-awaited schemes. In particular, I am delighted to confirm our continuing commitment to the A96, where work on both the Blackburn bypass and the Kintore bypass will commence next year. These schemes will provide major improvements in service and road safety as well as improving the environment of these communities on this important route.

Our other high priority route is the A 1. Our plans clearly demonstrate our continuing commitment to its improvements. In addition to the Haddington-Dunbar dualling scheme, an intensive package of measures on the A I will be brought forward next year under the route action plan.

A75 The Glen and A92 Balmedie-Tipperty are schemes which have come into the construction programme for the first time and are significant improvements on routes of continuing economic importance. The A75 is the main route to the port of Stranraer and the important sea passage to Northern Ireland; the scheme will therefore benefit all those who have trade links with Ireland as well as holiday makers and local traffic. The A92 Balmedie-Tipperty is heavily used by fishing, oil and agriculture interests in the north-east. I am sure these commitments and the others which confirm our previous plans will be warmly welcomed by local communities throughout Scotland.

Work will continue throughout the rest of the network also, with smaller scale but still valuable improvements being made in pursuit of the other route action plans that we have for the A7, A9, A76, A77, A90 and A96. These improvements will include village gateways, traffic-calming measures and other road safety work, tackling accident black spots through minor road curvature changes and improved lighting, signing and skid-resistance measures. The provision made will enable many other pressing but localised needs throughout the network to be addressed within the three-year period. Planning for other important schemes will also continue and these will be added to the construction programme in future years. We shall continue to keep the performance of the network under careful review in order to assess future requirements in the light of developing transport policies and emerging conditions on the network.

In conclusion, at a time of very necessary restraint on Government spending, this increased roads programme is a major boost for Scotland and emphasises the importance and value of the Government's private finance initiative. It will ensure excellent progress with the Government's key objectives for improving the trunk road network and is excellent news for business and commerce as a whole, and for the people of Scotland.