A PLAN to merge two Lanarkshire colleges must include provisions for local access to education, an MSP has said.

Jamie Hepburn, the SNP MSP for Cumbernauld and Kilsyth, made the calls in his response to the consultation on the proposed merger of Cumbernauld and Motherwell colleges.

Mr Hepburn said if the move went ahead "it is vital that local access to courses is retained as far as is possible, and that staff shouldn't feel any change impacts on them negatively. Indeed, a merger should be used to enhance the experience of staff and students alike".