Essential resurfacing required on a major route in Ayr and which has been the subject of enforced delays as South Ayrshire Council waited for work to be carried out on a water main by Scottish Water has suffered a further set-back.

The Council has been told by Scottish Water that an eagerly anticipated “water main rehabilitation project” on Maybole Road, Ayr, could be further delayed, or even cancelled, after it was learned that the nature of work intended by Scottish Water had changed from “pipe insertion” to “open excavation along the entire length.”

Now the Council’s Director of Environment and Infrastructure, Brian Davidson, whose responsibilities include the Council’s roads network - excluding trunk roads – has written to Mr Jon Hargreaves, Chief Executive, Scottish Water, saying that he is “extremely concerned about any potential delay to this work.”

The Director has written: “Essential carriageway resurfacing on Maybole Road has been postponed for several years in order to accommodate this project. It is highly likely that this delay will already necessitate a more expensive method of repair.”

Representatives of South Ayrshire Roads Maintenance Services and Scottish Water Contracting met recently to discuss the programming of the water main rehabilitation work on Maybole Road, Ayr, as part of Ayr to Knockjarder Water Mains Improvement Scheme. Scottish Water Solutions had been invited to the meeting but were apparently unable to attend.

It was at this meeting that the representative of Scottish Water Contracting explained that the nature of the intended work had changed, and those present were told that this alteration may result in the project being delayed if not cancelled and that Scottish Water Solutions were unlikely to make a decision for a further four weeks.

Said the Leader of South Ayrshire Council, Councillor Andy Hill: “I understand that this contract was intended to be an example of how Scottish Water and South Ayrshire Council could operate in a partnership in order to limit disruption to our respective customers. Brian Davidson has written to Jon Hargreaves pointing this out.

“Brian Davidson has also pointed out that should the project be cancelled, South Ayrshire Council may need to consider going ahead with resurfacing of the some of the worst sections of this road. This is obviously far from ideal and would prevent access to the water main for a further 12-month period.”

And he emphasised: “To carry on with this project at a later date would then incur damaging publicity for both parties and a resulting loss of goodwill.

“I have been made aware that despite numerous attempts, Roads Maintenance staff have been unable to contact Scottish Water Solutions in order to discuss this matter further, and a letter has been sent to Jon Hargreaves asking for an urgent response clarifying Scottish Water’s intentions for the project.”


May 2005