FOLLOWING a recent report by the Scottish public spending watchdog, the boss of Scotland’s largest independent courier has lead calls for radical action to improve roads ahead of the winter.
The Audit Scotland report found 1/4 of all Scotland’s motorway network to be defective and suggests roads will deteriorate further due to a lack of investment by both Transport Scotland and local authorities.
Director of Eagle Couriers, Scotland’s biggest independent courier with 120 vehicles, Jerry Stewart has urged new Transport Minister, Humza Yousaf, to take inspiration from his predecessor’s focus on modernising the rail network and apply it to a transformation of the nation’s battered roads.
Jerry said: “Too often addressing potholes is a costly afterthought. We must look to the quality of our road surfaces and question if they are really up to the job in the first place.
“I have to also question the economic sense in leaving the roads in the state that they are in, with the cost in compensating drivers plus the damage to businesses surely outweighing the investment required.
“I’d like to see Mr Yousaf step up to the responsibility, before the public become even more frustrated – a likely outcome given the damning verdict of this report.”
This appeal for action has come on the back of Edinburgh Council’s creation of a dedicated “Pothole Squad” tasked with improving the state of Edinburgh’s busiest roads.
Jerry went on to praise this idea but called for further action: “While this is undoubtedly a start, more focus is needed on preventing some of the countries arterial roads deteriorating further than their currently embarrassing state by visibly improving the quality of Scotland’s road surfaces.
“I can’t help but look with envy to the continent – and to France and Germany in particular – which in the face of greater extremes of temperature boast markedly better road conditions.”
Eagle Couriers has grown in their 31 year history to become Scotland’s largest independent courier. Founded in 1985, the firm is now headquartered in Bathgate with key operating centres in Edinburgh and Glasgow.
