Five contractors are in the mix to win a £1.2m roads contract which will be a key part of the new £200m Dumfries and Galloway Royal Infirmary.

Transport Minister Keith Brown said the five in the running for the works are vying to upgrade the Garroch roundabout on the A75, which will allow for better managed traffic both in and out of the new 350-bed hospital, while still keeping traffic moving along the vital route.

Minister Brown said: "When complete, the new district general hospital will bring enormous health benefits for the area, but it is crucial the traffic around the new complex is managed well.

"We recognise this which is why we are working closely with the Dumfries and Galloway Health Board to ensure good access to the new hospital facilities without impacting unnecessarily on traffic passing through the area.

"The improved Garroch roundabout will help us deliver that ambition and I'm delighted there is so much interest from the construction industry to win the contract to build it."

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He continued: "More widely, we know the A75 is the key route through Dumfries and Galloway which is why we are developing and building new improved sections of road along its length.

"Construction of the new £17 million bypass at Dunragit and the £9 million Hardgrove road schemes is progressing well, and forms part of £54 million worth of improvement and maintenance investment in the A75 since 2007 - all very good news for users of the route.

"With the contract to be awarded in May with around a six month works programme to follow, we would expect to have the revamped roundabout in place by the end of this year, ahead of the start of construction of the new infirmary in 2015. The completion of both will be a boon for the area and I look forwarding to seeing the plans come to fruition."

Dennis O'Keeffe, Project Director from Dumfries & Galloway Health Board, added: "Under the banner of 'Enabling Works' a number of separate road, water, gas, sewerage, electricity, information technology and telecommunication projects have been identified for completion, prior to the commencement of the new hospital building.

"These projects have involved numerous public sector bodies. Linkages between these projects have been deliberately co-ordinated by the Board to achieve synergies so as to effect, with least disruption, a more cost-effective and sustainable outcome for both the public sector bodies involved, and in turn all of their stakeholders and the community as a whole.

"The good and timely progress being made by Transport Scotland and the Board in respect of the procurement of the roadworks at the Garroch roundabout demonstrates this."

(JP/MH)