Stuart McMillan MSP has put forward his reasons to Transport Scotland why Inverclyde needs a major transport project to support economic growth and reverse the population decline locally.
The Greenock and Inverclyde MSP participated in the Strategic Transport Project Review 2 (STPR2) online consultation and provided a written response to Transport Scotland’s Chief Executive, Roy Brannen, which expanded on his consultation submission.
In the SNP MSP’s nine-page plea to Mr Brannen, Stuart reaffirms his commitment to “improving Inverclyde’s roads, our connectivity, and our ability to welcome people to the area for work and leisure and, ultimately, to improve the lives of [his] constituents by improving transport infrastructure.”
- Stuart put forward a number of proposals for Transport Scotland to consider being included in the National Transport Strategy 2 (NTS2), such as:
- A bypass to take pressure off the A78/A8 trunk roads that serve as the only main route in and out of Inverclyde;
- An additional train service per hour on the Wemyss Bay line to support major housing proposals in the villages;
- Traffic lights along the A78 corridor adjusted to reduce congestion and help keep buses on schedule;
- Establishment of a National Ferry Building Strategy that includes Inverclyde, particularly Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) Ltd., and
- Designated cycling routes introduced to encourage active travel.
Commenting, Stuart said:
“Inverclyde is an excellent location for living, business and tourism but we always need to strive to improve the opportunities for our area. My submission is aimed at helping everyone currently living and doing business locally as well as aiming to help stem depopulation with a population growth consideration.
“We need reliable and resilient transport infrastructure – and considering the major housing developments proposed in the west of Inverclyde, it’s crucial that there are more trains serving the Wemyss Bay rail line. Otherwise, we are looking at more cars on the A78 clogging it up and making it so much harder for those relying on local bus services.
“Businesses are impacted by issues on the trunk network as it can result in supplies not being delivered – regardless of whether it’s food or raw materials.
“It’s also important that we shift our focus towards active travel – which means creating designated cycling lanes and prioritising buses. Improving the signalling of the traffic lights along the A78 would help keep the buses moving, making them a more attractive option for commuters.
“A by pass has been muted over the years and I know Cllr Chris Curley has undertaken a vast amount of work in this area and it’s something we have discussed numerous times.
“My submission demonstrates the challenges, but also the opportunities, that exist in Inverclyde, and why it’s vital that a major transport project is scheduled for our area.”
John McKernan
Great to see our local MSP taking up this cause. I have travelled from Inverkip to the Glasgow area by car for many years and have witnessed at first hand how poor the M8 corridor is in terms of congestion. Having recently moved to a new role within they City centre, I now find that the train service is woefully inadequate in terms of capacity at peak times. Unfortunately I don’t believe the issue is confined to the Inverclyde area but with the extensive development of sites around Bishopton etc., applies to the entire transport infrastructure serving the west of the country.