The director of Scotland’s biggest independent courier has called on the Scottish Government to sort out ‘the sorry state’ of the country’s roads.
In an open letter to Scotland’s new transport minister Humza Yousaf, Jerry Stewart, director of Eagle Couriers, has urged the government to take radical action to address the ‘proliferation’ of potholes before the coming winter weather increases the problem.
Describing the nation’s road as ‘battered’, Mr Stewart points to the financial implications of potholes – including damage to cars and business vehicles.
In the open letter, he said: “We made no secret of our disappointment with the Government’s handling of the severe weather situation early last year in our plea to Mr [Derek] Mackay (Scotland’s former transport minister) to address these issues before the country pays the price once more.
“This time round we are asking for action tackling the state of the roads in the capital and beyond all year round.”
This appeal for action has come on the back of Edinburgh Council’s creation of a dedicated ‘pothole squad’ tasked with improving the state of Edinburgh’s busiest roads. Launched in March, the dedicated team is coordinating an intensive programme of repairs concentrating on main arterial routes.
Mr Stewart praised the idea, but called for more to be done nationwide. He said: “While this is undoubtedly a start, more action is needed to prevent some of the country’s arterial roads deteriorating further than their currently embarrassing state.”
Is this a news story about road safety or about how a company can raise its profile by publicly voicing concern about something? A cynic might say that winter weather causing potholes is nature’s way of slowing courier drivers down.
Hugh Jones, Cheshire
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