New Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn told Edinburgh's Sheriffhall flyover must be at top of to-do list
Another letter to another minister ‘feels like Groundhog Day’ says Miles Briggs
New Transport Secretary Stephen Flynn has been told Edinburgh’s long-awaited Sheriffhall flyover must be at the top of his to-do list as he gets down to work.
Edinburgh and Lothians East Tory MSP Miles Briggs said it felt like Groundhog Day as he took up the issue again. He has written to Mr Flynn, underlining how crucial the project is.
He told the minister: “The delivery of the upgrade is of both local and national importance to both our transport system and also the economy.”
Funding for an upgrade of the Sheriffhall junction on the A720 Edinburgh City Bypass was announced in 2017 as part of the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal. Plans were paused in 2020 for a review of the project following a Scottish Government budget deal with the Greens.
A public local inquiry was eventually held in early 2023 and the report delivered to the Scottish Government in early 2024. But repeated questions in parliament have met with the answer that the report is still being reviewed by officials.
Mr Briggs raised the issue many times, including just before the elections, when the then Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop told MSPs she was "disappointed and frustrated" that there would be no announcement before Holyrood was dissolved ahead of the May 7 poll.
In his letter, Mr Briggs asked Mr Flynn for an update on any progress on the upgrade and when a statement was likely to be made to parliament. He also invited the minister to meet him at the junction “to see the real need for investment in the junction as soon as possible”.
Mr Briggs told the Evening News: “After yet another parliament in which no progress was made, it feels like Groundhog Day writing to another Transport Secretary about the pressing need for the upgrade of Sheriffhall to be given the green light.
“It was extremely disappointing that the last SNP Government showed no initiative to overcome Green lobbying and get this critical upgrade of both local and national infrastructure underway.
“There is no excuse for the SNP to make it through yet another parliament without delivering the upgrade of the Sheriffhall junction which has cost our economy billions and left motorists facing daily congestion on the City Bypass.
“That is why I have written to the new Cabinet Secretary, Stephen Flynn, to make sure this is the top of the to-do list in this new session of parliament.
“The former Transport Secretary was clearly angry and frustrated that we did not see the opportunity for a decision to be taken prior to the election and that is why I have asked for an urgent update on any progress in the development of the A720 Sheriffhall Roundabout upgrade and when a statement is likely to be made to parliament on the SNP government position.
“Some £6 million of consultations have been done and resources from the last UK Conservative government under the Edinburgh and Southeast Scotland regional deal has been available to ministers for years. It is time for ministers and Transport Scotland to commit to give the green light to the new Sheriffhall junction.”
Shortly before the elections, Transport Scotland chief executive Alison Irvine wrote to Edinburgh council and other partners, saying a decision on Sheriffhall was expected "early in the new session".
She said: “In excess of 1,200 pieces of evidence were lodged for the local inquiry, and that evidence needs to be rigorously scrutinised by technical and legal advisers. This is a time-consuming process, but it is necessary to ensure robust and well-reasoned decision making."
But she added: “Transport Scotland is under no illusion that the incoming Government will expect to be presented with that advice in order to make a decision early in the new session of parliament.”