Roads Maintenance
A77 and A78 Trunk Roads
A77 Ardwell to Slockenray
The Scottish Government, have commissioned Amey Infrastructure Services (AIS), to
carry out design works for A77 Ardwell to Slockenray
On 13th December 2004, details of the scheme were received for comment.
An improved alignment is proposed from Ardwell Farm to Kennedys’ Pass.
There are three sections:
1) An easing of the tight bend at Ardwell Farm, shifting the road into the sea and
forming a standard width road with metre strips
2) Provision of approximately 750metres of ‘2+1’ road layout, which
will provide two dedicated lanes for northbound traffic, similar to the new layout
at Turnberry.
3) An easing of the tight bend at Kennedys’ Pass, shifting the road into the
rock face and forming a standard width road with metre strips.
South Ayrshire Council comments are -
General
The draft Route Action Plan Firm Strategy Report for the A77 : Ayr to Stranraer
prepared by South Ayrshire Council and Dumfries and Galloway for the Scottish Government
in October 1997, recommended that the road be widened to standard width and metre
strips added.
The proposed scheme shown requires a substantially wider road in an area of very
restricted available width due to the topography and the presence of an SSSI. Impact
on the environment could be severe.
In general however, the works are considered to be of benefit.
Local Plan
South Ayrshire Council’s Planning Section, have responded separately, detailing
SAC’s Planning Policies and Constraints.
Biodiversity
Please consider the Ayrshire Local Biodiversity Action Plan which aims include conserving
South Ayrshire’s local biodiversity and safeguarding the natural environment.
Specific comments can be made on the details of landscaping / biodiversity proposals
when they are available.
Lighting
As this is a remote rural area, it is considered that this proposal must not include
any road lighting for the reasons listed below.
- With the correct road markings and advance signing, there would be very little benefit
gained from lighting the junctions in this scheme.
- The additional electrical load associated with any lighting would contribute to
the emission of CO2 into the atmosphere.
- Any lighting would produce "sky-glow" and "light pollution"
in an inherently dark area.
Cleansing
Issues that would affect SAC’s cleansing service include
- any additional areas of carriageway, footway or verge which will require to be cleansed,
and notification of this would be appreciated,
- any alteration including the creation or removal of lay-bys – eg SAC would
require to remove any euro-bins and enclosure prior to the removal of the lay-by
- additional kerbing,
- loose stone in edge drainage etc
There are also concerns regarding possible difficulties sweeping a 2+1 road layout.
It is understood that there may be a metre strip between solid white lines in the
middle of the carriageway. As this strip would not normally be trafficked, a build
up of detritus may be expected. A satisfactory procedure to sweep this area has
not been identified. There is no experience of the maintenance regime required for
this road layout.
Environmental Health
Environmental Health
requests that cognisance be given to the impact any works may have on local residents
ie nuisance from noise, dust or vibration.
Roads Issues
There are effectively three parts to the proposed scheme.
The improvements to the substandard bends at each end would improve the flow of
traffic.
There may require to be further consultation regarding a short section of access
road to be detrunked, which may become the responsibility of South Ayrshire Council.
The third part of the scheme proposal appears to be the provision of dedicated overtaking
for one direction only, and prohibits other overtaking.
The scheme identified in the draft Route Action Plan proposed widening the existing
road to allow overtaking on an opportunistic basis in both directions.
The proposed layout may be considered to be likely to lead to an increase in driver
frustration, and may lead to enforcement problems.
With a low AADF of around 4,000 and excellent forward visibility on a level straight
road, it may be considered that the driver of a vehicle stuck behind a slow moving
vehicle from Girvan to Ardwell, and aware that there will be no other overtaking
opportunity till Bennane, will find it difficult to appreciate why overtaking is
prohibited should there be no oncoming traffic visible.
Should the layout be amended, slightly, to accord with the existing layout at Bennane,
then this potential difficulty would be removed.