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Scots applaud £200m boost
Page 6
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n Scottish hauliers have welcomed a £200m government investment in the country's road system.
The package of improvements includes plans to upgrade the A8 and A80 to motorway standard arid to improve the MM. Operators in Scotland have been blighted for years by bottlenecks on these vital routes. Jim Stevenson from Avonbridge-based Stevenson Brothers, says: "All the roads mentioned have been needing upgrading for a while—they are pandemonium in the rush hour."
That said, it will take a wee while but when it's done it, should offer an improvement."
Pat Glancey, from the Road Haulage Association, adds: "We've been talking about this for long enough, so we welcome it—providing it doesn't take too long. We also hope that this isn't just rhetoric because there are elections this year" The A80 will be improved to motorway standard and the A8 will be widened to a dual three-lane motorway.
Announcing the scheme, Scottish Transport Minister lain Gray said: "Businesses stress how important good transport links are and lam committed to delivering these."
• For details of modernisation cash for Scotland see page 8.