The Scottish Government has announced plans to bypass the villages of Springholm and Crocketford on the A75, a key route linking Scotland to Ireland.

Jacobs UK Ltd has been awarded a contract to undertake initial design and assessment work for the bypass. The project is funded by the UK Government's Union Connectivity Development Fund.

The bypass aims to improve journey times, reduce congestion, and enhance road safety on this vital route for local communities and businesses.

Cabinet Secretary for Transport Fiona Hyslop said: "I am pleased that we can now get on and commence the initial design and assessment work for by-passing these two villages on the A75. This is a complex piece of work which will require multi-year spending, and I will therefore continue to work with the UK Government to fulfil the commitment within Phase 2 of their spending review, which is due to conclude in Spring 2025.

"We are committed to improving safety, resilience and reliability on the A75 for everyone who uses this key trunk road, including the freight operators. Springholm and Crocketford are the only two settlements on the busy route which have not yet been bypassed and we are pleased to be taking this work forward to improve the lives of people living, visiting and working in the villages.

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"We recognise the strategic importance of the A75 Gretna to Stranraer corridor and want to improve road safety and journey time reliability on the route by increasing overtaking opportunities for slower moving vehicles to benefit road users across the region.

"The design and assessment work will be the first step for this project as we seek to improve the critical link between Ireland and the markets in the rest of the UK and Europe by improving connectivity between the port at Cairnryan and the wider trunk road network.

"Following award of the contract, Transport Scotland and its technical advisors will take forward the initial design and assessment work to consider appropriate options for realigning the A75 trunk road at Springholm and Crocketford, to bring real benefits to South West Scotland. Transport Scotland will also engage with members of the public, road users and other stakeholders in the coming months as the improvements project progresses."

Minister for Local Transport, Simon Lightwood said: "We absolutely recognise the vital importance of the A75 to both Scotland and Northern Ireland and that is why, despite significant fiscal pressures, the Chancellor committed funding for the development of the A75 study in her Budget.

"Keeping the whole UK connected is vital for growing the nation's economy and we are looking forward to continue to work in close collaboration with the Scottish Government on this project."