Rhoda Grant Challenges Scottish Government On State Of Highand and NC500 Roads

28th February 2018

At Portfolio Questions today (Culture, Tourism and External Affairs) Highlands & Islands Regional MSP, Rhoda Grant asked the Cabinet Secretary Fiona Hyslop MSP, what plans the Government had to build on the impact of the successful North Cost 500 (NC500). She specifically asked about the state of the roads on the route.

Rhoda Grant MSP advised the Cabinet Secretary she was contacted by a constituent who advised that we used to drive on the left of the road, but now we have to drive on what's left of the road. Highland Council has over 7000km of road to maintain of which over 830km is the NC 500, what assistance is the Government giving to Highland Council to repair this iconic route?

Disappointingly the Cabinet Secretary retorted that she was not the Transport Minister and Highland Council are responsible for the roads in their area.

Speaking after Portfolio Questions Rhoda Grant said "Clearly the Government have no plans to assist Highland Council maintain over 7000 km of their roads never mind the 830 plus km of the NC500 as the Minister made clear during this particular exchange. She went onto say that the Labour and Conservative Parties had voted against the budget so there would be no extra funding available. The Labour Party had proposed an alternative budget that would have allowed more funding to have come to Local Authorities for such things as road improvements. However, this was a serious point I was trying to raise on behalf of constituents which is affecting many road users in the Highlands and instead of offering understanding, sympathy or support to these road users the Cabinet Secretary chose to try and score a cheap political point.

“I understand that there is a 1.2billion backlog of road repairs required in Scotland. How are these repairs going to be undertaken if the Government do not come in and support local Authorities.