Drivers’ ire at Lamlash roadworks
Major roadworks between Brodick and Lamlash have been causing drivers a good deal of grief this week and they have being voicing their frustration at the unnecessary delays and disruption to their daily commute.
The repairs, which began on Monday and are due to continue for another week, have been seeing motorists experiencing delays while the road repairs are undertaken.
Citing being unable to plan ahead and not being able to make punctual arrangements to avoid sitting in their vehicles for long periods, the bone of contention has been that commuters have been kept in the dark and unable to make informed decisions.
Adding to the frustration, the roadworks were originally scheduled to commence a week prior to the actual start date on Monday April 23, but were delayed for a week due to ‘operational reasons’.
Essential repairs
North Ayrshire Council, which is undertaking the essential repairs, says that the road is too narrow, in parts, to allow the works to be carried out using traffic lights.
At Arran Community Council this week, Whiting Bay representative Peter Randell said there had considerable disquiet at the elderly forum about the situation and island officer Gus MacLeod said the local office had been inundated with complaints. ‘Not just that the road was closed, but that it was open and that there appeared to be no works going on,’ he said.
Much of the concern, the meeting heard, had been the suggestion that the road could be closed for up to one hour – however, the road is only being closed as and when required and often for shorter periods with the use of ‘stop’ and ‘go’ boards.
However, chairman Bill Calderwood said that following a meeting with roads officials ahead of the works, this had been agreed as a better solution than the alternative, which would have been to close the road for four hours in the morning and the same in the afternoon, and was supported by businesses and visitor representatives.
North Ayrshire councillor Timothy Billings said it was important that there was a daily update of the works to allow people to ‘work around’ any closures. He said some days would have more disruption than others.
Delighted
The meeting heard that the ability to use the road at ferry times ‘should be OK’. Lamlash representative Jim Henderson said that, despite the disruption, ‘the people of Lamlash are delighted the work is getting done’.
The stretch of road from Clauchlands Road to approximately 700 metres north of the entrance to Lamlash Golf Club is rescheduled to reopen on Friday May 4.