The Scottish Government has been urged to dual the A75 between Gretna and Cairnryan to drive economic growth and improve road safety, writes Peter Brown.
The 95-mile A75 between Gretna and Cairnryan connects the British mainland with Northern Ireland, and converting it to a dual carriageway would drive regional economic growth while delivering significant road safety benefits, according to Dumfries and Galloway MP John Cooper.
He was speaking at a meeting today with Logistics UK’s policy lead for Scotland, Alexandra Herdman.
They discussed how the logistics sector contributes £7.8 billion to Scotland’s economy and is one of the country’s largest employers, with more than 200,000 people – 7.8% of the Scottish workforce – employed in logistics roles across inland hubs, ports and airports.
Alexandra Herdman said: “Logistics underpins the economy, connecting Scotland to markets across the UK and around the world, and the A75 is one of the UK’s most strategically important freight arteries.
“Upgrading the A75 could lead to ‘safer roads and faster loads’ – we are urging the Scottish Government to commit to dualling the A75.”
John Cooper MP said the case for dualling the A75 was about much more than speed.
“It is about creating a safer, more reliable and more efficient transport corridor that serves local communities, supports economic growth and strengthens one of the UK’s most important freight routes,” he said.
“The A75 demonstrated its national importance following Storm Darragh and the resulting damage to the docks at Holyhead in 2024, when it provided a critical alternative route to the island of Ireland. Upgrading the road to a dual carriageway will ensure the resilience of this route in times of crisis and support the safe movement of passengers and freight.
“In the short term, I would like to see improvements made quickly – more crawler lanes for safer overtaking, and sections where adverse camber and poorly aligned junctions pose a risk to all road users should be addressed as a matter of urgency on safety grounds.”
As well as upgrading the route, Logistics UK has called for high-quality truck stops along the A75.
“HGV drivers are required by law to take regular rest breaks, and simple things like having safe and secure parking and somewhere to buy healthy meals can have a massive impact on quality of life,” Alexandra Herdman continued.
“There is a strong connection between how safe drivers feel when parked up and their ability to rest properly, but there is a national shortage of safe, high-quality rest facilities.”
