Stevenson Speaks on Roads in Parliament

23 June 2006

PRESS RELEASE

For Immediate Use

STEVENSON RAISES ROAD IMPROVEMENTS IN PARLIAMENT DEBATE

Local MSP Stewart Stevenson has once again called for roads in the North-east to be upgraded. The SNP MSP was speaking in a debate in the Scottish Parliament this week on the subject of rural transport.

Mr Stevenson has campaigned successfully for the Hatton Bends improvements which are currently being carried out after years of delay by the Government, and has repeated his calls for further inprovements to North-east roads.

Speaking from his Constituency Office, Mr Stevenson said:

“I made the point to the Minister during the debate that a good road infrastructure increases the number of miles that commercial drivers can travel within the time limits they are bound by. It reduces the number of overnight stops and increases the distances that buses and lorries driven by commercial drivers can go.

“When I speak to businesses in my constituency who rely on road transport, this is the message that I get time and time again.

“I welcome the plans to dual the A90 between Balmedie and Tipperty, as this is long overdue. However, it is extremely regrettable that the Scottish Executive has not taken the opportunity to extend the dualling of the A90 north of Ellon as part of the same programme of development.

“It is high time that the Scottish Executive provided a transport infrastructure to serve the North east of Scotland through the 21^st Century.”

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