South West Scotland Strategic Corridor Improvements

We are developing plans that will prioritise safety, resilience and reliability improvements on the A75 and A77 strategic road corridors, in turn supporting the efficient movement of freight and creating opportunities for placemaking.

We are also undertaking the design and assessment of options in relation to the realignment of the A75 at Springholm and Crocketford.

Background

Stranraer and the ports at Cairnryan are an important gateway to Scotland for ferry passengers and freight. Improving the transport assets in this location would support regeneration of the South West of Scotland to benefit the economy and local communities.

The South West Scotland Transport Study Initial Appraisal: Case for Change (SWSTS) was published in January 2020 and examined transport issues, opportunities and constraints across South West Scotland. The study subsequently informed the appraisal process for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), published by Transport Scotland in December 2022.

STPR2 presented the Strategic Case for improved access to Stranraer and the ports at Cairnryan. Recommendation 40 proposes that safety, resilience and reliability improvements are delivered on the A75 (and A77) strategic road corridors, in turn supporting placemaking opportunities.

STPR2 notes that potential interventions may include, but are not limited to, improving junctions, enhancing overtaking opportunities through wide single carriageway 2+1 lane arrangement sections or climbing lanes at locations where slow-moving traffic can lead to risky overtaking manoeuvres, and widening or realigning carriageways to address route constraints and pinch points such as narrow structures or sections of older-standard single carriageway.

Whilst significant investment has been made on the A75 corridor over recent decades, including the ongoing development of the A75 Springholm and Crocketford Improvements Scheme, a range of challenges and opportunities remain across the corridor. These relate to the route's strategic role in supporting connectivity between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, facilitating freight movements to and from the ports at Cairnryan, supporting regional and national economic activity, and providing access for communities, businesses and visitors across South West Scotland.

STPR2 Recommendation 40 provides a strategic policy basis for further consideration of improvements to the A75 corridor. A significant volume of valuable evidence already exists for the A75 corridor through previous studies and projects. However, there is no single robust and comprehensive evidence-based report that:

• Establishes a clear long-term vision for the route;
• Assesses and prioritises interventions consistently across the corridor; or
• Sets out how future improvements may be phased in an affordable and meaningful way.

Accordingly, there is a need to develop a new A75 Corridor Action Plan that addresses these gaps by consolidating existing evidence, undertaking further analysis where required, and identifies a prioritised pipeline of interventions to inform future investment and policy decisions.

Corridor Action Plan - Project Definition

This project will commission consultancy support to develop an A75 Corridor Action Plan for the A75 Trunk Road between Gretna and Stranraer. The current intended target date for this procurement is autumn/winter 2026/27.

The study will build upon previous work undertaken on the corridor and the wider South West Scotland region, including the evidence developed through the SWSTS and STPR2 Recommendation 40.

Whilst the scope is currently in development, the commission is expected to involve a corridor-wide assessment of the current and future role of the A75, building upon existing evidence to inform the development and prioritisation of interventions that address the corridor's key transport problems and opportunities. The study will develop, assess and prioritise potential interventions and establish a phased pipeline of short, medium and long-term measures to support future investment decision-making. In addition, consideration will also be given to the existing and possible future provision of Heavy Goods Vehicle rest stop facilities along the corridor.

The output of the commission will be an evidence-based A75 Corridor Action Plan which identifies and prioritises interventions to improve safety, resilience and reliability in support of the STPR2 objectives and recommendations.

A key element of the project will be engagement with stakeholders, businesses, transport and freight operators, and visitors to the region. While the final approach to how this will be undertaken will be confirmed as part of any project inception phase, it is anticipated that this could include, but is not limited to, online and face-to-face surveys, roundtable and workshop sessions, and telephone and 1-to-1 discussions.

The Action Plan will provide Scottish Ministers with a robust evidence base for future decision-making and support investment opportunities, helping ensure that they are considered within the context of the corridor as a whole, rather than as isolated interventions. Future phasing of any transport improvements will be presented as part of future updates to the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline.

Background

Stranraer and the ports at Cairnryan act as an important gateway to Scotland for ferry passengers and freight. Improving the transport assets in this location would support regeneration of the South West of Scotland to benefit the economy and local communities.

The South West Scotland Transport Study Initial Appraisal: Case for Change (SWSTS) was published in January 2020 and examined transport issues, opportunities and constraints across South West Scotland. The study subsequently informed the appraisal process for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2), published by Transport Scotland in December 2022.

STPR2 presented the Strategic Case for improved access to Stranraer and the ports at Cairnryan. Recommendation 40 proposes that safety, resilience and reliability improvements are delivered on the A77 (and A75) strategic road corridors, in turn supporting placemaking opportunities.

STPR2 notes that potential interventions may include, but are not limited to, improving junctions, enhancing overtaking opportunities through wide single carriageway 2+1 lane arrangement sections or climbing lanes at locations where slow-moving traffic can lead to risky overtaking manoeuvres, and widening or realigning carriageways to address route constraints and pinch points such as narrow structures or sections of older-standard single carriageway.

Whilst significant investment has been made on the A77 corridor over recent decades, including the opening of the A77 Maybole Bypass in January 2022, a range of challenges and opportunities remain across the corridor. These relate to the route's strategic role in supporting connectivity between Great Britain and Northern Ireland, facilitating freight movements to and from the ports at Cairnryan, supporting regional and national economic activity, and providing access for communities, businesses and visitors across South West Scotland.

STPR2 Recommendation 40 provides a strategic policy basis for further consideration of improvements to the A77 corridor. A significant volume of valuable evidence already exists for the A77 corridor through previous studies and projects. However, there is no single, robust and comprehensive evidence-based report that:

• Establishes a clear long-term vision for the route;
• Assesses and prioritises interventions consistently across the corridor; or
• Sets out how future improvements may be phased in an affordable and meaningful way.

Accordingly, there is a need to develop a new A77 Corridor Action Plan that addresses these gaps by consolidating existing evidence, undertaking further analysis where required, and identifies a prioritised pipeline of interventions to inform future investment and policy decisions.

Corridor Action Plan - Project Definition

This project will commission consultancy support to develop an A77 Corridor Action Plan for the A77 Trunk Road between Ayr and Stranraer. The current intended target date for this procurement is autumn/winter 2026/27.

The study will build upon previous work undertaken on the corridor and the wider South West Scotland region, including the evidence developed through the SWSTS and STPR2 Recommendation 40.

Whilst the scope is currently in development, the commission is expected to involve a corridor-wide assessment of the current and future role of the A77, building upon existing evidence to inform the development and prioritisation of interventions that address the corridor's key transport problems and opportunities. The study will develop, assess and prioritise potential interventions and establish a phased pipeline of short, medium and long-term measures to support future investment decision-making. In addition, consideration will also be given to the existing and possible future provision of Heavy Goods Vehicle rest stop facilities along the corridor.

The output of the commission will be an evidence-based A77 Corridor Action Plan which identifies and prioritises interventions to improve safety, resilience and reliability in support of the STPR2 objectives and recommendations.

A key element of the project will be engagement with stakeholders, businesses, transport and freight operators, and visitors to the region. While the final approach to how this will be undertaken will be confirmed as part of any project inception phase, it is anticipated that this could include, but is not limited to, online and face-to-face surveys, roundtable and workshop sessions, and telephone and 1-to-1 discussions.

The Action Plan will provide Scottish Ministers with a robust evidence base for future decision-making and support investment opportunities, helping ensure that they are considered within the context of the corridor as a whole, rather than as isolated interventions. Future programming of any transport improvements will be presented as part of future updates to the Scottish Government’s Infrastructure Delivery Pipeline.

Why the A75 and A77?

The A75 and A77 are key strategic transport corridors which connect communities, businesses and visitors across South West Scotland. They also provide important links to the ports at Cairnryan, supporting passenger and freight movements between Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The strategic importance of these routes was recognised through STPR2 Recommendation 40, which identified the need for improvements to safety, resilience and reliability on both corridors.

The A75 Corridor Action Plan will consider the A75 trunk road between Gretna and Stranraer.

The A77 Corridor Action Plan will consider the A77 trunk road between Ayr and Stranraer.

Why are further studies needed?

A significant amount of valuable evidence already exists from previous studies and projects. The purpose of the Corridor Action Plans is not to repeat this work, but to bring existing evidence together into a single, corridor-wide assessment.

The Corridor Action Plans will identify and prioritise potential improvements, and provide a robust evidence base to help guide future investment decisions.

What types of improvements will be considered?

While the scope of the Corridor Action Plans are still being developed, potential interventions could include measures to improve road safety, journey reliability and resilience, such as junction improvements, overtaking opportunities, addressing route constraints, and considering the provision of Heavy Goods Vehicle (HGV) rest and welfare facilities.

A broad range of options will be considered before potential improvements are identified and prioritised.

Will the Corridor Action Plans consider full dualling of the A75 or A77?

The South West Scotland Transport Study (SWSTS) and the second Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR2) looked at transport improvements across South West Scotland and did not recommend full dualling of the A75 or A77.

Instead, they identified the need for targeted improvements to make the roads safer, more reliable and more resilient. The Corridor Action Plans will build on this work and help identify and prioritise the improvements that would deliver the greatest benefits and value for money along each route.

Will local communities and stakeholders be involved?

Yes. Engagement with local communities and stakeholders will be an essential part of developing the Corridor Action Plans.

The final engagement approach will be confirmed during project inception, but may include surveys, stakeholder workshops, meetings and discussions with local communities, businesses, freight and transport operators, ferry operators, elected representatives and other interested parties.

When will consultants be appointed?

We intend to procure consultancy support for the development of the Corridor Action Plans in autumn/winter 2026/27, subject to the necessary approvals and funding arrangements.

When will the Corridor Action Plans be completed?

The timescales for completing the Corridor Action Plans will be confirmed following procurement and appointment of consultants. Further information will be published as the projects progress.

How will potential interventions be assessed?

Assessment criteria will be confirmed as part of the commission. However, interventions are expected to be evaluated against factors such as safety, reliability, resilience, economic benefits, environmental impacts, feasibility and alignment with wider transport and policy objectives.

Will the Corridor Action Plans lead to investment?

The Corridor Action Plans themselves will not commit funding for future transport interventions. Their purpose is to provide a robust evidence base to inform future decision-making and investment prioritisation. Any future funding decisions would be made separately through established Scottish Government processes.

The development of the Corridor Action Plans sits alongside our investment in the trunk road network, including routine maintenance and road safety improvements on the A75 and A77.

When can we expect improvements to be delivered?

The Corridor Action Plans will identify and prioritise potential improvements to the A75 and A77. As the plans are still in development, it is too early to confirm timescales for delivering any future improvements. Any proposals taken forward will be subject to further development, assessment and funding decisions.

How does this work relate to the A75 Springholm and Crocketford Improvements work?

Design and assessment work to consider options for the realignment of the A75 around Springholm and Crocketford is being progressed separately.

The A75 Corridor Action Plan will consider the wider corridor between Gretna and Stranraer and will build upon existing evidence, including work already undertaken through current and previous projects.

How can I stay up to date with progress?

Updates will be published on our website as the Corridor Action Plans progress, including information on procurement, stakeholder engagement and key project milestones. Opportunities to participate in engagement activities will also be advertised through our website and social media channels, alongside targeted local communications where appropriate.