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Transport Minister considering Rosyth By-Pass as Plan C - MP wants firmer commitment
September 1, 2008 3:00 PM
Scotland's Transport Minister has told West Fife's MP that he is ready to deal with any delays in the construction of the Forth Road Bridge replacement including the possibility of building a Rosyth By-Pass and making improvements to the A985. But Willie Rennie MP believes this is not good enough and wants the Scottish Government to commit now to build the By-Pass and improve the A985.
In a phone discussion, Transport Minister Stewart Stevenson told MP Willie Rennie that he was pleased with progress being made on the construction of the new bridge but was prepared to deal with any slippage in that construction. He said there was still around two years before any decision would need to be made to build a by-pass and make improvements to the A985 to cope with the extra traffic as a result of the new bridge not being ready before the current one closes.
The MP is concerned that Rosyth and the A985 will be flooded with cars, trucks and buses if the replacement Forth Road Bridge is not built on time. Hundreds of people have signed Willie Rennie's petition call for the by-pass.
Commenting Mr Rennie said;
"The Minister listened carefully to the arguments that local people have been making to me," said Mr Rennie. "And I left him in no doubt about the effect on Fife's economy and environment of the failure to build the new bridge in time. I told him we needed a Plan B which would include a by-pass and improvements to the A985.
"The Minister seemed confident that the new bridge would be ready on time and believed that a Plan B would not be required. He told me that there were other measures that could be taken to ensure that the new bridge would be ready. However, I was pleased that he was considering the by-pass and the A985 improvements and new when work would need to begin to ensure that this plan was ready in time.
"The Transport Minister seems to have the Rosyth By-Pass and A985 improvements as his Plan C. I don't believe this is good enough and I want him to make a firm commitment to build the by-pass and improve the A985 now. It would be an investment well made.
"My objective in this campaign is to protect the Fife economy and improve the quality of life of the people of Rosyth. For too long Rosyth residents have had to put up with HGVs thundering along Admiralty Road. If that were to increase the situation would be intolerable. Fife's economy would receive a massive body blow if the new bridge was not ready on time. That's why I am stepping up the campaign - it's too serious for any mistakes to be made."
ENDS
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