Scottish Government pledges £50m for new bridge over Tay and support for manufacturing

River Tay and Perth - Image credit: Eugene Birchill/Wikimedia Commons

The Scottish Government has pledged an extra £50m for a new bridge over the river Tay and to support manufacturing businesses as part of the Tay Cities Region Deal.   

Nicola Sturgeon confirmed £40m will be invested in a new road, which will link the A9 over the River Tay to the A93 and A94 north of Scone, with the aim of reducing congestion in Perth and opening up new sites for housing and economic development.

Another £10m will fund an industrial investment programme to support manufacturing businesses across the region, covering Dundee, Perth, Angus and the north of Fife.

This funding is in addition to the Scottish Government’s existing commitment of £150m.

The First Minister said: “Our further £50 million investment in the Tay cities region will support transport infrastructure and manufacturing projects, benefiting people and businesses and ensuring the area continues to grow and thrive.

“As well opening up land for new housing and employment sites, the Cross Tay Link Road will reduce traffic congestion in and around Perth and improve the air quality in the city centre and Bridgend.

“The £10 million industrial investment programme will help drive forward our ambitions to be a global manufacturing leader, creating opportunities for businesses right across the region.

“I am confident the Scottish Government’s overall investment of £200 million in the Tay Cities region will improve people’s quality of life and encourage sustainable economic growth in the Tay area and Scotland as a whole.”

The Tay Cities Region Deal brings together public, private and voluntary organisations in the council areas of Angus, Dundee, Fife and Perth and Kinross.

An agreement was signed in November 2018, with the Scottish and UK governments committing £150m each.

It is hoped the deal will create more than 6,000 jobs and bring in more than £400m in investment over the next ten to 15 years.

Councillor Murray Lyle, leader of Perth and Kinross Council, welcomed the announcement on behalf of the Tay Cities Deal partnership.

He said: “This is fantastic news for the Tay cities region.

“We welcome the introduction of an industrial strategy which will encourage innovation and inward investment and support sustainable skills development across the whole of the Tay cities region. 

“This will in turn boost opportunities for strategic partnerships with businesses, contribute to the local, national and global economy and create prosperous communities.

“Working together, we can make the Tay cities region the best place in Scotland to start and grow a business and boost productivity with a skilled and committed workforce and high quality jobs.”