N.I. Minister discusses transport links with Scotland

Transport Minister Conor Murphy MP, MLA today met with Stewart Stevenson MSP, the Scottish Minister for Transport, Infrastructure and Climate Change.

Speaking after the meeting in Edinburgh Minister Murphy said: "Co-operation and communication at Ministerial level are important to maintaining and improving transport links between the North of Ireland and Scotland.

“The joint communiqué signed following the visit by Scottish First Minister, Alex Salmond, to the North of Ireland last year, contained a commitment to strengthening co-operation between our two devolved administrations. I therefore welcomed this opportunity to meet my Scottish Ministerial counterpart.

“The focus of our discussion today was on transport links across the North Channel. Good transportation routes beyond the sea ports in the South West of Scotland are vital to the North of Ireland. They are important not only for the economy in the efficient transport of freight and by facilitating tourism, but also for the great number of people visiting friends and relatives or travelling to sporting events. As we discussed today, they are also important for the economic regeneration of this part of Scotland.

“I welcomed today, the opportunity to hear of the Scottish Government’s plans to upgrade the road network out of these ports and to improve the rail service out of Stranraer. I was also reassured to hear of the long-term priority which the Scottish Government attaches to the transport link across the North Channel."

The Minister added: “I welcomed my Scottish Ministerial counterpart’s commitment to on-going liaison between our two administrations to improve the transport linkages between the North of Ireland and Scotland.”

Issues discussed in the meeting included the railway services from Stranraer, trunk road links from the Loch Ryan ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan, the A75 to Carlisle and the A77 to Ayr / Glasgow.