How we’re investing in rural infrastructure fit for the future
by Our vision is of a Scotland where all of our communities – urban, rural, remote or island – grow together and that we all share in the prosperity that generates.
We understand that to achieve this vision we must ensure that rural communities have infrastructure fit for the future. Here’s how, in government, we’re doing that.
We have committed £600 million to delivering superfast broadband to all homes and premises by 2021.
We are investing £20 million in a Rural Housing Fund and £5 million Island Housing Fund. This is part of our plan to deliver 50,000 affordable homes across Scotland by the end of this Parliament.
We’re investing £5 billion in improving Scotland’s rail infrastructure. This investment will include improvements to the Aberdeen and Inverness rail route and improvements on the Highland Main Line between Inverness and Perth.
We’ve invested £6 million in a Rural Tourism Infrastructure Fund. The fund is already supporting three world-class tourist sites in Skye and Orkney: the Fairy Pools and Neist Point on Skye and the Standing Stones of Stenness.
Work is underway to dual the A9 between Perth and Inverness. As part of our plan to remove the need for petrol or diesel cars by 2032, we will also make it Scotland’s first electric highway.
We’re working to improve transport connections in the South of Scotland. We’re taking forward the Maybole bypass on the A77 and improving other sections south of Girvan and further improvements to the A75; exploring how to better connect Dumfries and the M74; and commencing work for the second Strategic Transport Projects Review in the Dumfries and Galloway area, including looking at the access to the ports at Cairnryan.