Born in 1946 and brought up in Cupar, Fife, I was educated at the local school - 
A £25.4 million investment package to upgrade a key South West trunk road and a vital route for the Scottish economy as a whole has taken a significant step forward today.
Transport Scotland has published a series of draft statutory orders for two important schemes on the A75 – the Dunragit by-pass and the upgrade to the Hardgrove section.
Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson said:
"This Scottish Government is committed to providing a first class transport network which will support and grow our economy and I am delighted that these projects are moving another step closer to delivery.
"This multi-million pound investment will greatly improve traffic flow and connections – particularly between Scotland and Northern Ireland through better access to the ports of Stranraer and Cairnryan.
"These schemes, in addition to investments we are making elsewhere on the network, will make the A75 a safer route, whilst opening up opportunities for businesses and communities across the South West, of Scotland and beyond."
The £15.9 million Dunragit by-pass scheme, to the east of Stranraer, will help make Dunragit safer by removing trunk road traffic from the village.
A new 5.3 kilometre stretch of trunk road will be created; providing safe overtaking opportunities in both the east and westbound directions, whilst greatly improving traffic flow and journey times.
Additionally, the scheme will incorporate the needs of cyclists and pedestrians by providing safe crossing points and a dedicated underpass for cyclists and non-motorised users to travel under the trunk road.
The scheme will also mean the local bus service, which stops in Dunragit, will benefit from using a de-trunked route with lighter traffic levels.
Similarly, the £9.5 million Hardgrove project, between Carrutherstown and Upper Mains Farm in Dumfries and Galloway, will see a new 3.6 kilometre stretch of the A75 providing improved overtaking facilities in both the east and westbound directions.
The work will improve traffic flow by allowing faster moving vehicles to overtake platoons of slower vehicles; reducing driver frustration and improving road safety and journey times. As at Dunragit, the scheme will incorporate the needs of cyclists and pedestrians at by providing safe crossing points.
Transport Scotland has published draft road orders, draft compulsory purchase order and the environmental statement for the Hardgrove upgrade and the supplementary draft compulsory purchase and draft road orders for the Dunragit by-pass schemes, giving people and businesses the chance to formally object.
The 159 kilometres long A75 Gretna-Dumfries-Stranraer route is a main link in Scotland’s transport network carrying around 10,000 vehicles each day.
Serving communities and businesses across the South West, the A75 connects South Ayrshire with Dumfries and Galloway, through Annan and Gretna, and links ferry terminals at Stranraer with the M74 and A77.
Transport Scotland invested over £9 million last year to improve the A75 by widening three stretches of the road between Barfil and Bettyknowes, at Newton Stewart and between Planting End and Drumflower to allow safe overtaking opportunities.
It is estimated work will start on both projects in 2009/10 and be completed in 2010/11.
Details of the Dunragit Road Orders and the Environmental Statement and Road Orders for the Hardgrove Project, can be viewed by clicking on the following links:
Karen Adam is now the MSP for Banffshire and Buchan Coast
