SEVERAL politicians clashed with the Scottish Government after they revealed they had no plans to build a bypass for Selkirk, and accused the SNP of “hypocrisy”.
Tory MSP John Lamont said the plans were an SNP election pledge, claiming that they were “all talk and no action”.
But South of Scotland SNP MSP Paul Wheelhouse denied the pledge was made.
He said Mr Lamont had “misrepresented” the results of a survey carried out on a range of issues, last January.
Mr Wheelhouse said the issue of a Selkirk bypass was one question among many in the “small survey”.
Transport Minister Keith Brown said this week there were no plans to build a bypass for the town.
He said the scheme was considered, but was ruled out because it would not have sufficiently cut accident rates.
Mr Lamont, MSP for Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire, said the response was “simply not good enough”.
Mr Wheelhouse challenged Mr Lamont to produce a “shred of evidence” for his claims.
The SNP MSP said Selkirk residents were more worried about regeneration of the town centre, and the effect any bypass would have on the local economy.
The Selkirk bypass was considered in 2006 by then-transport minister Tavish Scott, and it has been under debate ever since.
