A plan to upgrade the nation’s transport infrastructure has hit a roadblock in Scotland, it has been claimed.
UK ministers have accused the Scottish Government of refusing to engage with the “union connectivity review”, which promises to deliver faster road, rail and maritime links across the UK.
The prime minister said last year that the review, led by Network Rail boss Sir Peter Hendy, would help Britain “build back better from the pandemic” and would result in a “levelling up” of opportunity across the nation.
However, given that transport policy is devolved, the SNP has been left angered by Westminster’s decision to lead on the review.
‘Buttoned up the back’
The party’s transport spokesman, Gavin Newlands, speaking in a Commons debate, said: “The review was concocted for purely political reasons.
“Not only was it announced without any consultation with any devolved administration, the fact is that the government already had a connectivity review under way that still hasn’t reported, he must think we’re all buttoned up the back.”
He added: “We should think big, we should be planning for transformational investment that connects our communities, but that investment should be guided by our communities, not determined by diktat.”
‘Determined to create wedges’
Transport minister Rachel Maclean, responding, said: “It will surprise nobody that the SNP government is determined to create wedges that need not otherwise exist.”
Ms Maclean said the Scottish Government had “refused to engage constructively with the review” and had “put separatist ideology over sensible policymaking”.
Sir Peter published an interim report on UK transport last week and will publish a series of recommendations for investment in the summer.