CAMPAIGNERS urging A77 improvements say a spate of crashes this week confirms their case to make the road dual carriageway all the way from Ayr to Stranraer.
Tuesday saw a lorry overturn on the road and land on rocks at the shoreline. Two other minor crashes on the A77 were reported that day, thankfully with no casualties.
The A77 Campaign Team, with activists in South Ayrshire and Dumfries and Galloway, where the A77 from Ayr links with the port at Stranraer, say the unfortunate accidents strengthen their case for major improvements to the key route.
But they're not holding their breath... Maybole's John Campbell, a former retained firefighter, has seen it all before.
"And the A77 is vital for Scotland's economy. It's the main route from the central belt to Stranraer and the ferry to Northern Ireland.
"The vast majority of goods such as milk, vegetables and bread from the supermarket warehouses between Glasgow and Edinburgh are transported to Ireland from along that road. It's up to £10million a day of goods going along the A77.
"If the road is closed by a crash or a landslide, the diversion is a 160-mile journey down the A74, then the A75 to Stranraer.
"I know companies have moved from Scotland because the A77 service is no longer reliable."
John and the campaign group have met with MPs, MSPs and senior politicians to discuss the problem. He says most of them are sympathetic - but insist the money just isn't there for the dual carriageway project.
But he begs to differ.
"I saw on the news recently that the Scottish Government had allocated £470m for a mile of new road at the Rest and Be Thankful, to deal with landslides which repeatedly close the road there," he said.
"Yet the A77 has more problems with landslides than the A83. In the last 10 years we have had 3,000 days with traffic lights in place on the road because of landslides."
And then there's the diversions.
The Campaign Team said on their Facebook page this week: "A77 Stranraer to Girvan appears on Traffic Scotland! And the wretched diversion is A75, Newton Stewart then A714 via Barrhill to Girvan and the reverse for southbound.
"But hang on - Amey South West Trunk Roads are doing maintenance work at Kirkcowan and the A75 is closed between Stranraer and Newton Stewart, with a diversion: A75 eastbound – A747 near Glenluce – Port William – B7085 – A714 Bladnoch – B7005 - A714 Newton Stewart then A714 Girvan. In reverse for opposite direction.
"Really you couldn't make a bigger fuss and fiasco like it! Grand tour round Europe to get fae Stranraer tae Girvan."
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: "The strategic importance of both the A75 and A77 to Scotland’s economy is recognised by this government, and we value the critical link they provide to the wider markets in the rest of the UK and Europe by connecting the ports at Cairnryan to the wider trunk road network.
“Recommendation 40 in the second Strategic Transport Projects Review places equal importance on both the A75 and the A77 to Scotland and its economy. As with the A75, it identifies a series of targeted infrastructure improvements on the A77 for the next 20 years.
“Since 2007 we have completed five major improvements on the A77, including the £29 million Maybole Bypass which opened in January 2022.
"In addition, we have spent over £134 million on the A77 between April 2007 and March 2024 to ensure its safe and efficient operation. Other major improvements include Haggstone Climbing Lane; Glen App Wide Single Carriageway; Park End to Bennane and Symington and Bogend Toll at a total cost of £35 million.”
For the future, Amey are working towards a programme completion date of mid-December during which time the temporary traffic lights at Carlock Wall will be removed and the A77 fully reopened.
Resurfacing schemes are planned on the A77 Ayr Bypass roundabouts, namely Bankfield, Holmston and Whitletts in 2024/25.
For more about the A77 Campaign Group visit here.
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