Cole-Hamilton sets out top priorities for Scottish transport infrastructure

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today set out his party’s ambition to get Scotland building again to improve core connections across Scotland, boost regional development and grow the economy.

The plan includes:

• Working in partnership with Shetland Islands Council to progress investigations and groundwork for tunnels, and to move them up the government’s list of infrastructure priorities so that work can start sooner.
• Fixing the SNP’s ferries fiasco for good through a new Ferries Bill, giving islanders a say on vessel types and locking in the replacement of ageing ferries and port infrastructure.
• Getting on with the long-overdue dualling of the A9, setting a timetable for the dualling of the A96 within the first 100 days of the new Parliament and delivering a programme for significant improvements to roads including the A83 and Rest and Be Thankful, A82 and A75 to make them fit-for-purpose.

Speaking during a visit to the Finnieston Crane, a symbol of Scotland’s engineering heritage, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

“Scotland once led the world in engineering, but under the SNP we’re lagging behind. I want to get Scotland building again. Our economy is being help back by crumbling infrastructure and a lack of vision.

“We are the nation that built engineering masterworks like the Forth Rail Bridge, the Glenfinnan viaduct and the Union Canal but under the nationalists everything takes forever.

“The Scottish Liberal Democrat manifesto sets out a vision for how we will improve core connections, dualling the A9, fixing the SNP’s ferries fiasco for good and driving progress on major projects such as tunnels for Shetland.

“The development of tunnels in the Faroe Islands has brought about transformational change, reversed population decline and slashed travel times. Tunnels for Shetland will boost regional development and help rejuvenate our economy.

“Liberal Democrats are winning again, with more councillors, a record number of MPs and more to come. In many constituencies we are on the verge of winning against the SNP but wherever you are, every vote for the Scottish Liberal Democrats on the second peach ballot will deliver change with fairness at its heart.

“We need to get Scotland building again. And with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, you can vote for it.”