Councils at war
Council chiefs have gone to war this week – over the ripping up of Holmston Road cycle lane.
Bosses at South and East Ayrshire are engaged in a bitter row over who knew what about the controversial project. It follows last week’s vote by South Ayrshire councillors to ditch the path.
Officials at South Ayrshire have now been accused of planning the cycle lane as long as four years ago.
Taxpayers face a £ 90,000 bill to return the road to its original state, with work starting later this month.
Council chiefs have gone to war as the blame game erupts over Holmston Road’s ill- fated cycle lane.
South Ayrshire officials – who claimed they knew nothing about plans to dig up the road – have been accused of plotting the scheme for up to four YEARS.
It comes as furious colleagues at East Ayrshire Council launched a no- holds barred attack following a vote to scrap the lane.
The Ayrshire Roads Alliance ( ARA), which oversees the network on behalf of both councils, is now at the centre of a mud- slinging storm.
South Ayrshire taxpayers will shoulder a £ 90,000 hit following the blunder on one of Ayr’s busiest roads.
But dropping a bombshell on Tuesday, a spokesman for East Ayrshire said: “The cycle lane was planned by South Ayrshire Council at least two years prior to the formation of the Ayrshire Roads Alliance, who inherited the project on its creation in April 2014. ARA routinely reported updates on work progress to the South Ayrshire Cycling Forum and the project.
“And funding for it is also detailed in South Ayrshire Council’s Leadership Panel papers in February and August 2016.”
Despite the claim, top figures on South Ayrshire Council have made repeated attempts to distance themselves from the project, blaming a lack of consultation from ARA.
But when given their chance to intervene, councillors voted on Thursday by a majority of 19- 11 to bin the scheme with immediate effect, labelling it a “debacle”.
The fallout has now placed bosses at both councils on a collision course, with South Ayrshire coming under attack from their county cousins.
A spokesman for East Ayrshire said: “The project was inherited by ARA who continued implementing the well- documented South Ayrshire Council policy, with updates on funding and progress made known to South Ayrshire Council with no objections, concerns or issues being raised at any stage of progress, up and until work actually began.”
The Post can now reveal that outside funding for the cycle project was banked by South Ayrshire Council before work began. And their moves to publically blame Stewart Turner, head of ARA, for his lack of consultation is understood to have sparked fury at East Ayrshire HQ.
The East Ayrshire spokesman said: “It is, of course, a matter for South Ayrshire Council, as the local roads authority, to determine their own roads policy and ARA will carry out any works as instructed.”
Crews will now begin ripping up the road on Monday, October 24, following the councillors’ vote, taken in front of a packed public gallery.
It is expected work will take three weeks with the road being returned to its original state.
Lesley Bloomer, South Ayrshire’s executive director for economy, neighbourhood and environment, oversees ARA and is now facing questions over how much she knew.
She said: “There is no doubt there are some very clear lessons to be taken away from this project for everyone involved – for example, consideration of when specific details of proposed projects should be shared with local elected representatives and communities.
“That’s the heart of the issue here as there has been broad support for the overall cycling project.
“To help ensure this doesn’t happen again and as approved by elected members, we will be reviewing the existing arrangements in conjunction with East Ayrshire Council and presenting recommendations to councillors.”
Work to repair Holmston Road is expected to cost £ 30,000, while South Ayrshire will have to return another £ 60,000 to funders like SPT and SUSTRANS, who stumped up for the original project.
There are some very clear lessons to be taken away from this project