A77 Action Group call for major upgrades
Road is‘not fit for purpose’
Fresh calls have been made to either ‘upgrade’ or ‘replace’ parts of the road network through Ayrshire.
The appeal follows the tragic deaths of a 78-yearold woman and a 57-year-old lorry driver in two separate incidents last Tuesday on the A714 and the A77.
Now the A77 Action Group is demanding that the Scottish Government bring Ayrshire’s trunk road network up to scratch.
Donald McHarrie, group coordinator, said: “Tuesday brought tragedy with two deaths, and total mayhem, to the A77 and the A714 Girvan to Newton Stewart road.
“The A77 and A714 were both blocked due to serious road traffic accidents. The A714 became blocked after the A77 traffic was diverted along it.
“The southern section of the A77 trunk road closely follows the route it did in 1776, so basically it’s an old droving track.
“Today, it is certainly not fit for modern traffic requirements and in desperate need of upgrade, or replacement.
“This road needs modernisation and brought up to a properly engineered standard, fit for current traffic volumes and projected growth over the coming years.”
He added: “If the Scottish Government is interested in making a fairer Scotland for all, it needs policies that allow for infrastructure investment in the South West corner of Scotland and the A77 in particular.”
South Scotland Conservative MSP Sharon Dowey labelled the A77 “not fit for purpose,” while South Scotland Labour MSP Colin
Smyth said it’s “time for action.”
Mrs Dowey said: “It’s incredibly sad to learn of another serious road traffic collision and my thoughts are with the families of those involved.
“The A77 Action Group are right to point out the road’s failings, which I have also raised with Scottish Government ministers several times. The reality is that the A77 simply isn’t fit for purpose these days.
“The Scottish Government can’t just sit there without a plan any more. We need to see the A77 included in the next strategic transport review to make the A77 a safe, reliable route for the motorists who use it every day.”
Mr Smyth said: “There are always a lot of warm words from both the Scottish and UK Governments on the importance of the A77, but now it’s time for action.
“The A77 is vital, both for local people in Ayrshire and Galloway, and also for those travelling into the area. This includes those accessing Cairnryan but right now, it is not fit for purpose.
“The Scottish Government published part one of their long delayed strategic transport projects review with no meaningful commitments for the A77.
“However, it is part two of the review, which is due this autumn, that will set out the major investment programme for Scotland’s roads for the next 20 years.
“My fear is the deal between the Greens and SNP will mean no meaningful commitment to upgrade this road, despite the fact there is nothing environmentally friendly about 40-tonne lorries rattling past the front doors of the villages and towns that aren’t bypassed, or motorists having massive detours every time the A77 is blocked.
“This is also an issue about safety. There are sadly far too many accidents on the road and more needs to be done to make it safer.”
He added: “The clock is ticking between now and the publication of the second part of the projects review and I will be doing all I can to convince the Scottish Government that we need to ensure plans to upgrade our neglected trunks roads aren’t posted missing yet again.”
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The south-west Scotland transport study recommendations included two options for targeted and safety related road improvement on the A77 south of Ayr.
“These proposals are now the subject of more detailed appraisal within phase 2 of the second strategic transport projects review (STPR2).
“In terms of maintenance spend, we have invested just over £88 million on the A77 since 2007.
“In addition, the Scottish Government has invested approximately £35m in four separate schemes on the A77, and is now progressing with an additional £29 million
investment in the A77 Maybole Bypass.”
There is no suggestion that the deaths last week were caused by the engineering or configuration of the roads.
In last week’s tragedy on the A714, a blue Vauxhall Corsa and a blue Ford Fiesta car collided on the southbound road near the Glendrissaig Reservoir around 2.20pm.
A 78-year-old woman was taken to the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow by air ambulance where she died a short time later.
An 80-year-old man was treated at the same hospital for non-life threatening injuries.
A 68-year-old man was also taken to Ayr Hospital for treatment of serious but nonlife threatening injuries.
The road was closed for around seven hours while investigators combed the scene.
Earlier on the same day, another tragedy unfolded on the A77 at around 11.50am, when a 57-year-old man died following a lorry crash at the A77 near Glenapp Castle, Ballantrae.
The stretch of road was closed for a time following the horror incident after the alarm was raised with the emergency services responding.
Then on Thursday, emergency services were summoned to a road traffic accident on the A77 between Minishant and Ayr.
As a result of the incident, traffic was diverted via Dalrymple and there were some delays.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson added: “Our thoughts are with the friends and family of those involved in these accidents.
“As police investigations are ongoing, it would be unwise to comment or speculate on the cause at this time.”