MacRae calls on SNP Transport Minister to get a grip on TranServ

12.00.00am GMT Mon 15th Feb 2010

Highland Liberal Democrat candidate Alan MacRae has called on Scotland 's Transport Minister to get a grip of TranServ and to force it to abide by the terms of its contract.

"The A87 is a disgrace. I have sent a letter to Stewart Stevenson the SNP Transport Minister inviting him up for a tour - we can take a trip between Invergarry and Uig and see if he thinks it is in an acceptable condition for a trunk road in 21st Century Scotland .

"Stewart Stevenson has to remember that although TranServ are a private company they are paid using public money and ultimately it is him who is democratically accountable to the taxpayers when they do not perform.

"In the past I have called for the maintenance of the A87 to be returned to local authority control to bring democratic accountability closer to home. But until this happens the performance of TranServ is Stewart Stevenson's responsibility. Would it

be acceptable to him if a similar road in the Central Belt remained in such a condition for such a length of time?

"In the meantime I suggest that everyone who has had their cars damaged contact TranServ with a view to them reimbursing the cost of repair. Almost all the major defects have been logged with TranServ through the 'repair our roads' website and they have failed to take any meaningful action according to the terms of their contract. They must therefore liable for any costs incurred by the road user"

ENDS