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Urgent call for upgrade to major Borders route

The Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce (SBCC), is urging Scottish Government ministers to approve plans to upgrade the main A1 road through the Scottish Borders.

The SBCC says Westminster is planning to turn the 330-mile route between Edinburgh and London into a dual carriageway or a motorway.

However, the upgrades would only run as far as Berwick, and now the chamber is calling for Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown to ensure the remaining 47 miles to Edinburgh is also upgraded.

“They should grasp the thistle on this without delay. It would not be a major expense compared with other planned road projects as nearly two thirds of the A1 in Scotland is already dual carriageway.

“Upgrading the rest would make the road quicker and safer and would be a major boost not only for the Borders, through which it passes but also other parts of Scotland.

“It would be something of a national embarrassment if the road were to be improved to dual carriageway status for the whole length of England, only for a few miles of the road in Scotland to be left as single carriageway."

– James Aitken, Convener, Scottish Borders Chamber of Commerce

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