Roads show improvement

A freezing winter caused East Ayrshire Council to use the most grit in its entire 22- year history.

Gritters heaped 14,000 tonnes of salt on the roads last winter. It was the highest ever amount of grit spread since the council was founded in 1996.

But despite the harsh weather street conditions have improved thanks to road works.

Ayrshire Roads Alliance ( ARA) head Stewart Turner said: “Last winter was difficult. Winter started in October 2017 and ended in May 2018. We used 14,000 tonnes of salt but would expect to put down 6,000 tonnes.”

The harsh weather meant the roads unit overspent by about £ 730,000.

Contractors were used to cope with the workload.

Various communities, i n c l u d i n g Sorn and Ochiltree have taken on the responsibility of gritting themselves with the support of the roads team.

Mr Turner presented his organisation’s annual performance review for the last financial year to East Ayrshire Council last Thursday.

Figures showed the condition of the roads improved by about three per cent in South Ayrshire and 1.6 per cent in East Ayrshire.

The ARA had been ordered to save £ 1.5 million but it managed to scrimp £ 2 million by March this year.

Mr Turner said: “It is an improved picture within ARA.”

Explaining how more potholes have been fixed and roads are continuously being resurfaced, he said: “The road network has had great improvement.”

Ka t i e K e l l y , E a s t Ayrshire Council’s depute chief executive for safer communities, said: “It is a picture of continuous improvement.”

Within East and South Ayrshire there are 2379km of roads, 1831 km of footways and 41,479 street lights.

East Ayrshire provost Jim Todd praised the roads team for the improvement.

He said: “Well done to the teams. Pass on our thanks. I am a road user on four wheels and two wheels and I see a difference as well.”