"Cat is out of the bag on SNP road plans" - McInnes

6.00.00pm GMT Tue 16th Dec 2008

Liberal Democrat Transport spokesperson Alison McInnes has revealed that people in communities across Scotland will have to wait up to eight years before they see road projects starting to be developed.

Under pressure form Mrs McInnes at today’s Transport Committee meeting the Transport Minister said that “the Forth Crossing will dominate work on the road network until 2016”.

Commenting after the Committee meeting, Mrs McInnes said: “The Transport Minister's admission that "the Forth Crossing will dominate work on the road network until 2016" has let the cat out of the bag on the SNP's road development plans.Alison McInnes MSP: North East Scotland

“During last week’s statement on the STPR the Transport Minister assured us that all manner of road projects were being brought forward. The reality is that there will be no priority for other proposed schemes until 2016.

“Communities across Scotland will now have to wait for eight years before they see even the beginnings of any road development projects in their areas. This is unacceptable.

“Liberal Democrats want to see the Government put in place a system of prioritisation as part of a long term vision for transport development. Without this we are going to reach a point, as with the SNP's school building programme, where projects never get off the ground.”