In my previous column, I addressed the need for safety improvements on the A947 from Banff to Aberdeen.
Since then, the road has been closed three separate times in the King Edward area between Banff and Turriff.
The first closure resulted from an incident in which a road tanker overturned and caught fire.
The second and third closures, a week apart from each other, were to allow for the inspection of the bridge at Castleton following signs that water was seeping through the structure.
With these recent events in mind, as well as the longer standing concerns, I have sought a meeting with the Aberdeenshire Council to discuss the need for more investment in the road.
As always, I stand ready to help in any way I can to support any bid for UK Government support that may be available.
I am pleased to see that there has been a crackdown on anti-social driving in the area following my recent meeting with the Police Area Commander.
Over a two-day period at the end of February, 35 fines were handed out to drivers who were found to be breaking the law.
This is a positive step in tackling dangerous driving and ensuring the safety of our roads and I hope leads to a long-term reduction of anti-social driving.
The decline of health services in the last 13 years of SNP control in Scotland, particularly in the last 8 years, is a growing concern for my constituents.
I have been receiving an increased number of concerns about local health services.
I do of course always do what I can to follow through on individual constituent issues with the relevant health service organisation.
However, as health is a matter devolved to the Scottish Government Holyrood, I do not have direct influence on policy and legislation in that Parliament.
I am therefore calling on the SNP – and whoever they might choose as their new leader – to stop obsessing about breaking up our United Kingdom, and to focus more on addressing healthcare and other key issues which are of far more immediate importance to people across Scotland and especially here in rural Banff and Buchan.
