To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the request from the A77 action group for the establishment of a task force to consider issues relating to the impact of the reported increased use of full road closures on the A77. (S6O-04119)

The Scottish Government is committed to on-going engagement with interested parties on strategic transport matters affecting the A77. Transport Scotland has developed a long-standing relationship with the A77 campaign, and there are regular meetings, the last one being on 5 December. I had productive discussions with the group last month and heard directly about the impacts that closures have on road users and local communities. I have agreed to bring together interested stakeholders and the A77 group at a round-table meeting to collectively scope and work through the variety of issues that have been identified and recommended. That will be a better way to achieve progress.

The Cabinet secretary will know from her meeting with the A77 action group that the neglect of that trunk road has reduced parts of it to one lane for 3,000 out of 3,652 days since 2014. That is because of a lack of investment. There is an increasing number of evening road closures, which send road users on detours of hours and hundreds of miles, but there are still no plans for any improvements to the road.

It has been some weeks since the cabinet secretary met the action group, so when will those round-table discussions take place? Will she ensure that those discussions become a permanent task force, so that the issues can be discussed regularly?

I met the group last month, and we are making arrangements as to when we will have the round-table meeting. That will allow us to scope out what the issues are. There are a number of issues to consider, particularly the concern about Carlock wall, which has been a great player in affecting the number of days of closure. The closure there has been in place since 2020. I understand that there is a programme completion date of mid-December 2024, which is fast approaching. Work is being carried out to deliver that, at which time temporary traffic lights will move there. That is a challenge geotechnically and topographically, as everybody who knows the area will know.

There are other road closures and diversions. There is a multilayered area of attack that we need to work through, and I think that that will be best scoped out through meetings with the action group. I encourage all partners to come to the table to systematically address the different issues.

It is welcome to hear the update that the Cabinet secretary is working really well with the A77 action group. Will she clarify that, although overnight closures of the roads are extremely frustrating, they are necessary to ensure the maintenance of critical infrastructure routes such as the A77? Will she highlight how the A77 has been improved in recent years as a result of action taken by the Scottish National Party?

The Majority of works on the A77 trunk road can be carried out safely without the need for full closure, but, when the road has to be closed, there must be engagement with local communities and the travelling public.

Even in the past financial year, £9.4 million has been spent on improving the road. We have invested £134 million since 2007, and there is also the £29 million Maybole bypass. There is investment in the road, but things are problematic because of landslips and other challenges. That is why we need to systematically work through the improvements that can be made.

I and other members from across the chamber have spoken about the need for urgent investment in the A77 during all the time that I have been in the Parliament, and we have waited with bated breath for actual action on strategic transport projects review 2.

The Cabinet secretary mentioned the Maybole bypass, for which there was £30 million of investment. If the cabinet secretary ever wanted evidence, I would mention that Maybole has now managed to leverage £100 million of investment because of the bypass. Is that not evidence enough that an awful lot more work on the A77 would improve the lives of people all the way down to Stranraer?

I am glad that the member supports the SNP Government’s delivery of the Maybole bypass. I am from Ayrshire, so I know how important it is and the benefits that it can bring for businesses. The bypass was planned for and delivered.

There is continuing investment in the A77. We hear complaints about closures because of the investments that are being made. You cannot have it both ways—you cannot complain that there is no investment and then complain when works are required for maintenance and because of issues such as landslips. We have invested more than £134 million in the road. Can more be done? Yes. Are we going to systematically work through the issues on the A77? Yes, and I look forward to meeting the A77 group again.

Members should always speak through the chair.