A new report claims dualling two of the region’s key roads and improving rail links could boost the UK economy by £5 billion.
And upgrading the A75 and A77 could also help create more than 1,000 new jobs in Dumfries and Galloway.
Councils in south west Scotland and Northern Ireland commissioned the report to see what work was necessary to the roads to improve transport links between the two nations.
And they are now calling for the Scottish and UK Governments to provide funding for the upgrades.
Dumfries and Galloway Council leader, Gail Macgregor, said: “In our newly launched five-year council plan we talk about Dumfries and Galloway as a strategic location with a transport corridor linking England, Scotland and Northern Ireland.
“Upgrading the A75 and A77 – these vital conduits for communities and commerce – would unlock this transport corridor and with it the potential of south west Scotland.
“What we want is recognition from the Scottish and UK governments of the key role transport and travel has on improving our communities and economy.
“Recognition at government level that there is a need to invest in the A75 and A77 routes. And recognition of the importance of our ports and that there is an economic imperative to protect their competitiveness.
“When recognition goes past promises to real investment, that’s when we’ll be working towards a new future for our region.”
When it was released last year, the second version of the Scottish Government’s strategic transport review recommended upgrading the A77 and A75, while the UK Government’s union connectivity review also revealed a need to upgrade the A75.
Dumfries and Galloway Council, along with South Ayrshire Council and Mid and East Antrim Councils, then asked transport consultants Sweco to look at what upgrades were required.
They presented seven options, including bypasses, rail improvements and dualling the road.
And the preferred package would see both roads become dual carriageways, towns and villages bypassed and a new train line between Dumfries and Stranraer that would include stops in Castle Douglas, Dalbeattie and Newton Stewart. There would also be improvements to the railway between Ayr and Stranraer.
It is claimed this would lead to improved journey times across the region and between Scotland and Northern Ireland, boosting business, as well as giving people better transport links.
And it is claimed the full dualling and railways option would generate “close to £5 billion worth of positive benefits” – including more than £700 million from improved journey times, £26.4 million through reduced carbon emissions and more than £250 million in safety benefits due to fewer accidents.
The report also states the work would create around 1,500 jobs in Dumfries and Galloway.
No cost is put on the required upgrades as “considering the detail and certainty required in developing capital and operating expenditure estimates, the current status of the A75 and A77 interventions did not allow for reliable and meaningful cost estimates to be generated”.
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said, “The report really does expose the contempt for the economy of the south west that’s been shown by both our Governments with their lack of investment in improving the A75 and A77.
“This report shines a light on the clear economic benefits of upgrading these vital trunk roads, yet the UK Government’s Connectivity review just proposed another feasibility study into improving the A75 and the Scottish Government’s Strategic Transport Review suggested little more than tinkering on both roads. Clearly, the economy wasn’t an important factor for both Governments.
“Given it has taken two years to bring forward the outcome of this study, and the Scottish Government are just weeks away from publishing their delivery plan for their transport review, I suspect the report may be too little, too late to have any influence.
“We need an urgent rethink that puts improving the A75 and A77 at heart of both our Government’s plans for investing in Scotland’s transport infrastructure”.
