The biggest investment in South Ayrshire Council's roads network in over a decade has been agreed.

Over £3m is to be invested in South Ayrshire roads during 2015/16, including £1.5m of a £10m capital investment programme approved by Councillors for the next five years, as well as £1.3m revenue funding.

Works will include resurfacing, carriageway patching, footway works, drainage, pothole repairs, ditch clearing, gully clearing, clearing carriageway flooding, hedge pruning, verge maintenance and winter treatment.

Timber transport route improvements will also be undertaken, supported by funding from the Scottish Timber Transport Group of £242,000, This takes the total investment to £3.042m.

The works are expected to be completed before the winter.

Councillor John McDowall, Portfolio Holder for Sustainability and the Environment, said: "While the overall condition of our roads network has improved over the past five years, we know roads are a big issue for our communities and need significant investment.

"That's exactly what we're now doing and, in the next year, this investment will make a difference for communities all the way from Dundonald to Dailly – and many more places in between. We want our communities to see just how serious we are about addressing our problem roads and the 2015/16 programme is a great start.

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"We'll be updating the Roads Improvement Plan each year, in line with the ranking system, consulting local community councils on the proposals for their area, and working through the Ayrshire Roads Alliance to make a visible and lasting difference for everyone travelling on our roads."

South Ayrshire Council is also investing £150,000 to reopen vehicle access to River Street from Main Street in Ayr town centre. This is intended to improve access to local parking close to the High Street and develop a new parking signage strategy.

The Council has also instructed further work and costings on two options with the aim of providing better vehicle access to Ayr High Street.

• Unrestricted vehicle access to High Street, with the right turn to New Bridge street retained for buses only.

• Creation of a short two-way section of High Street at the junction with New Bridge Street/Sandgate to permit access to a possible new parking facility, with the right turn to New Bridge Street retained for buses only.

Councillor John McDowall said: "It's vital our roads network works for our residents and visitors and it's clear there's a desire for better access to Ayr High Street. However, we have to consider this in a sensible way and the more detailed studies of the two options being taken forward will give us a much better understanding of what this would actually mean in practice.

"There's absolutely no point in putting measures in place that disrupt traffic flow and journey times and will have a very real detriment on our people and our businesses, such as the removal of bus priority measures that increase journey times by quarter of an hour.

"The traffic modelling has been a fascinating and comprehensive exercise that will ensure we make decisions that are informed and proportionate and help achieve better movement of traffic throughout the town centre.

"Combined with the improved signage for parking, which will help ensure better use of the available parking provision, and better information to help direct people around the town, this will make Ayr town centre a much more welcoming place that works for residents, workers, visitors and businesses whether travelling by car, public transport or on foot."

The full list of projects included in the Roads Improvement Plan 2015/16 is available here.

(IT/MH)