Local constituency MSP Finlay Carson has welcomed a “clear” escalation of preparatory work on the two bypass projects at Springholm and Crocketford.
He voiced his delight that Transport Scotland has awarded a £1.1 million ground investigations work contract to Causeway Geotech Ltd to support the ongoing design and assessment work for the A75 improvements project.
Work is expected to start in March and will last for a period of approximately eight weeks.
The Galloway and West Dumfries MSP praised the move while raising a general question at Holyrood on Thursday.
He revealed that communities wanted clarity on the financial direction of travel, not just technical studies.
Mr Carson said: “Will the Cabinet Secretary confirm in unequivocal terms whether full dualling of the bypass remains a funded and actively supported option for the government?
“Will she set out precisely what formal engagement her government has had with the UK Government regarding the budgeting, cost sharing and assessment of the dualling option, so that we can understand whether the necessary financial structures are in place?”
Responding Shona Robison, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, confirmed a specific reference to improvements on the A75 and A77, including the bypasses at Springholm and Crocketford, while an outline business case would define it further.
She told MSPs: “I am pleased Finlay Carson has welcomed the £1.1 million for the ground investigation works contract and I can tell him that the design assessment work to consider options for realigning the trunk road, with bypasses at those villages, is well under way and proceeding at pace.
“We welcome the announcement that the UK Government has committed funding for the remainder of the current study, as that will enable us to complete the initial work on considering improvements to the key route at Springholm and Crocketford to identify a preferred route option by early 2027.”