Campaigners for both the A77 and A75 trunk roads say they held a "constructive and satisfactory" meeting with the Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop last week.
Campaigners held a "constructive and satisfactory" meeting with the Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop amid calls for improvements to two of Ayrshire's busy roads.
On a visit to Ayrshire on Friday, March 21, Ms Hyslop met with campaign teams for both the A77 and A75 trunk roads in Girvan to discuss challenges and improvements for both routes.
Ms Hyslop visited spots where improvement works are ongoing or planned along the A77 while in the area including Ballantrae Bridge and Carlock Wall.
The A77 Campaign Team welcomed the proposal for a focus group for trunk roads in southwest Scotland which would help boost communication - an issue which has frustrated campaigners in the past.
Previously, Ms Hyslop met with the campaigners in November and First Minister John Swinney held "constructive discussions" on the A77 and A75 with representatives of the South West Scotland Transport Alliance in December.
Campaigners felt they had been listened to in those meetings but reiterated points around necessary repairs in Kirkoswald which had still not been undertaken and a need for improved communication.
Regarding Carlock Wall, and on hearing what the A77 Campaign Team had told her, Ms Hyslop regarded the area as a “vulnerable site” that would come into the category of areas affected by climate change and wet weather condition, and be included for special consideration.
Another issue that was raised was the number of times the A77 had been closed either for road maintenance or by accidents along with the unsuitability of the diversion routes being used.
John Campbell of the A77 Campaign Team said: “I was contacted before the meeting with the Transport Minister by the proprietor of the Coo Shed in Ayr who has seen the footfall in her business drastically reduced because of the lack of progress and mayhem with the traffic lights at the Corton/Doonholm junction.
“Before that it was the restaurant in Kirkoswald that suffered from the A77 being closed for road maintenance with the road closure signs not pointing out to travellers that they could access the restaurant.
“These are the issues that frustrate and angers communities when they don’t get the repairs sorted in good time or signs that are being displayed being misleading that affect trade to businesses like what happened in Kirkoswald and is now happening with the Coo Shed.
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