Dumfriesshire MP David Mundell has reiterated his view that the proposed new hospital at Dumfries should not be given final approval until a full transport plan is in place, and there is a guarantee that any necessary changes to the A75 Dumfries bypass and bus routes will take place.
The Dumfriesshire MP had earlier stressed that a new hospital had to be more accessible than the existing one for those living east of Dumfries. And, given the chosen location on the A75 west of Dumfries, people in the east of region required reassurance that both public transport and emergency vehicles could get there easily, he said.
Now, after raising his concerns with NHS Dumfries & Galloway chief executive Jeff Ace and Scottish Transport Minister Keith Brown, the MP has been told that considerable attention was given to the accessibility of the site by road and by means of public transport.
And, in a letter to Mr Mundell, NHS Dumfries & Galloway said: “We have already entered into detailed dialogue with both Transport Scotland and Dumfries and Galloway Council and have agreement in principal for roads infrastructure improvements on both the main A75 trunk road and local road network.”
They added that numerous Traffic Impact Assessments had been commissioned and proposals for the improvement of road roundabouts, junctions and traffic signs would be submitted in due course with the proposed planning application for the Garroch site.
“The Garroch Farm site will provide much better access to acute hospital services for patients across Dumfries and Galloway,” said the letter. However, Mr Mundell wants to make sure that accessibility applies equally to the east of the region.
NHS Dumfries and Galloway’s Board have now started a 12 week consultation period, which includes numerous public consultation events. During this period the public will have the opportunity to comment on the Board’s proposals including any concerns for road accessibility and transport arrangements.
And now that the proposed site has been announced the Board have been consulting with SWESTRANS to ensure that the level of bus service to the existing hospital site will be maintained, if not improved, at the new site.
Mr Mundell wants to ensure that the proposed new Dumfries Hospital is not given the final go ahead until detailed transport plans have been produced to show how potential congestion on the A75 Dumfries bypass will be dealt with and how people can get there by public transport.
He said: "One of the major difficulties with the current DGRI is access for people from out with Dumfries.
“If we are to have a new hospital, we must ensure that that it is more accessible and, given the chosen location on the A75 west of Dumfries, people in the east of region will need reassurance that both public transport and emergency vehicles can get there easily.”
The MP continued: “The Dumfries by-pass is notorious for being congested at certain times of the day and I wanted to know what will be done to tackle that if we have ambulances travelling from the east to the new hospital. The roundabouts on the Edinburgh and Glasgow Road junctions can be particular bottlenecks and we can't simply press ahead and build the hospital where it is proposed without dealing with that issue, especially as the hospital itself will generate thousands of extra vehicle movements by staff, patients and visitors.
“I just want to be clear that the whole thing has been thought through and we don't end up with problems after the event as we have seen before, when Cresswell and the College were moved.
"We must also ensure that proper arrangements for public transport are in place. The new location will lead to a major change in bus routes in and around Dumfries and again I want to ensure that has all been thought through to allow ease of access for my constituents in Annandale & Eskdale and Upper Nithsdale, since it would be ridiculous to have a new hospital nobody could get to."