Boris Johnson to announce plans to upgrade Scottish port route and cut UK air passenger duty

Boris Johnson will today unveil plans boosting transport links all over Scotland with improved rail links.

Boris Johnson is set to unveil a major plan to boost transport links all over Scotland, with a proposal to improve rail links and cut UK air passenger duty.

The Prime Minister will today commit £20 million to develop plans for upgraded rail, road, sea and air links following the interim report of Sir Peter Hendy’s Union Connectivity Review being published.

But Scottish transport secretary Michael Matheson labelled the review a “systematic attack on the Scottish Parliament’s powers”, saying it was a “power grab” that would undermine devolution”.

Key projects in the review include upgrading the A75 between Gretna, Dumfries and Stranraer – a key route for south-west Scotland and Northern Ireland.

The A75 is the Scottish road that goes from Gretna Green, along the border with England then up to Stranraer.

Rail industry leaders have previously proposed building a tunnel from Stranraer to Larne in Northern Ireland to improve connectivity.

There are also plans for faster rail links from England to Scotland, including looking at options to enhance the West Coast Mainline.

The investment will also see improved rail connectivity between the north coast of Wales and England, as well as rail improvements in South-East Wales building on ideas from the Welsh Government's Burns Commission.

In June, Sir Peter was tasked with exploring ways in which transport can improve connections all over the UK.

Mr Matheson said of the review: “I spoke to Sir Peter Hendy and Grant Shapps and again made clear that transport infrastructure is a devolved matter and the Union Connectivity Review was established without any discussion and consultation with Scotland, Wales and NI.

“We will always seek to engage constructively with the UK Government, but never in a way that undermines the devolution settlement. This review is a systematic attack on the Scottish Parliament’s powers – a power grab that fundamentally undermines devolution.

“We already have a robust process for evidencing future transport infrastructure investment in Scotland – STPR2, not the Union Connectivity Review. We will consider the UCR Interim report and respond in due course.

“What Scotland really needs now is an infrastructure-led economic recovery to deliver new jobs and speed up the transition to net zero, which won’t be possible with the 5 per cent cut to our capital budget in the UK Spending Review for 2021/22.”

Mr Johnson said: "It’s now time to build back better in a way which brings every corner of the UK closer together.

“We will harness the incredible power of infrastructure to level up parts of our country that have too long been left off the transport map.

"This pioneering review by Sir Peter Hendy gives us the tools we need to deliver on our ambitions for a UK-wide transport network that encompasses sea, rail, and road – and I also want to cut passenger duty on domestic flights so we can support connectivity across the country.”

Transport secretary Grant Shapps said: “As we build back better from Covid, it is more important than ever that we level-up every corner of our great country.

“Quality transport infrastructure is key to achieving that, which is why we are committed to boosting connectivity and bringing communities across the UK even closer together.”

The UK Government has promised to work closely with the devolved administrations on development studies, such as with the Scottish Government on any feasibility study on the A75.