One of my top priorities as your MP is to campaign for better roads for the Borders.
That's why I consistently call out the SNP Government at Holyrood for letting down motorists by cutting road budgets, failing to invest in new infrastructure, and refusing to give councils the funding they need to fix every pothole.
They need to do more to fix the roads because driving is essential for many people in the Borders. We need our cars to get to work, to visit family and to go about our daily lives. There's just no other affordable and convenient way to get around until the SNP invests to deliver a better bus and rail network across the country.
It's not very often that motorists get positive news, so I was absolutely delighted to hear some recently from the UK Government.
Consumers, retailers and organisations are being asked for views on proposals for the new Pumpwatch scheme, which would provide drivers with real-time price data to help them shop for fuel via navigation apps, in-car devices and comparison websites.
Millions of drivers will soon be able to get the latest petrol station prices at the click of a button.
Forcing retailers to be transparent about how much they are charging will help drive down prices by increasing competition and empowering drivers to find the best deals.
This proposal has been welcomed by the RAC. Their spokesman Simon Williams said it "should pave the way for fairer fuel pricing for everyone who drives. Sadly, there have been far too many occasions where drivers have lost out at the pumps when wholesale prices have fallen significantly and those reductions haven’t been passed on quickly enough or fully enough by retailers."
The move was also applauded by AA president, Edmund King OBE, who said: “The AA commends the Government for addressing the issue of unfair pump prices that we have been raising for some time. The brazen price disparity of sometimes 10p a litre or more between neighbouring towns had to end."
I'm pleased to see this better system being set up for the benefit of drivers. The impact assessment for the scheme shows it could help deliver a 3p per litre saving on fuel prices for consumers.
While the SNP Government keeps taxes high and leaves motorists in the lurch, the UK Government will always act to help keep costs down and ensure hardworking people are getting a fair deal.
