Crumbling roads
Arran lobbies for road repair funds
Arran Community Council are to lobby for more funds for Arran’s crumbling roads.
At the monthly meeting of the council in Brodick on Tuesday night members were unanimous in their view that more money had to be found in the North Ayrshire Council budget for an increase in the island roads repair fund.
It follows a host of complaints about the dreadful state of Arran’s roads, as highlighted by the Banner last week.
But island officer Gus MacLeod said the roads workers were filling in potholes as fast as they could. He said the current Arran roads maintenance budget presently stood at around £1 million a year but he said there were ‘a whole range of problems they were trying to repair’.
Mr MacLeod told members that a decision had to be made whether to concentrate on making a full repair of the worst potholes or try a more broad brush approach, saying: ‘We took the decision to try and repair as many potholes as possible, even if it is only a temporary repair.’
The community council heard that both resources and funding had been cut for roads maintenance.
Members agreed they should lobby the three NAC councillors who represent Arran for a strong roads maintenance schedule in the coming financial year and for more winter resources.
They also want to see an investigation into possible alternatives to the use of salt to keep the roads clear in winter, as it badly damages road surfaces.
Mr MacLeod said the council previously used sand but that is was now a ‘legal requirement’ to use salt.