A £15.9m road improvement project on the A75 has moved a stage forward with the publication of important statutory road orders.

The Made Road Orders for the Dunragit by-pass project were published on Friday November 20, 2009 by Transport Scotland.

The scheme will see construction of a new 5.3km stretch of the A75 to the east of Stranraer in Dumfries and Galloway, by-passing Dunragit to the south.

Transport Scotland Project Manager, John MacIntyre, said: "A significant investment is being made in the A75 through this and similar schemes, and we are confident that when completed, these projects will make journeys on the A75 safer and quicker for people.

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"This route is vital for connecting businesses and communities across the South West of Scotland and beyond, and we are pleased that progress for improvements to the road is being made."

The project will improve road safety for Dunragit by removing trunk road traffic from the village, as well as improve traffic flow, road safety and journey times on the A75 by providing safer overtaking facilities on both east and west bound carriages on the new road. In addition the local bus service, which stops in Dunragit, will benefit from using a de-trunked route with lighter traffic levels.

Made Road Orders and Made Compulsory Purchase Orders have also been published recently for the A75 Hardgrove-Kinmount road improvement project. This £9.5m scheme will see traffic safety and flow improvements between Carrutherstown and Upper Mains Farm with a new 3.6km road construction.

Serving communities and businesses across the South West, the A75 connects South Ayrshire and the A77 with Dumfries and Galloway,and links the ferry terminals at Stranraer and Cairn Ryan with the M74 and M6 to the south.

The 159 kilometres route is a main link in Scotland’s transport network, carrying around 10,000 vehicles each day.

(GK/KMcA)