Residents in South Ayrshire have criticised Ayrshire Roads Alliance for a lack of transparency surrounding the delayed completion of a 3km active travel route linking Barassie to Dundonald. The project, part of a £26m Scottish Government fund, was originally expected to be finished by March 2026, then revised to 31 July 2026, but remains incomplete.
Residents voice concerns
One Dundonald resident said: “When the project was announced, South Ayrshire Council stated that construction was expected to be completed by March 2026. That deadline passed without completion. Subsequently, South Ayrshire Council’s Road Improvement Plan revised the anticipated completion date to 31 July 2026, indicating that work was still underway. Despite this revised programme, the route remains incomplete. Only approximately half of the route— from Barassie towards the Gailes/Dundonald Burn— is substantially complete, while the remainder is unfinished. There has also been little or no visible construction activity for several weeks.”
Another resident claimed contractual difficulties were holding up progress. Following enquiries to Ayrshire Roads Alliance, the only explanation provided was: “Unfortunately we are currently experiencing contractual difficulties with the construction contractor and are working as hard as possible to overcome these. At this stage I am unable to provide any further details on this matter.” The resident added: “No revised completion date has been provided, nor has any explanation been given regarding the nature of the contractual difficulties or when construction is expected to recommence.”
Key questions unanswered
The resident posed straightforward questions: “Is the revised completion date of 31 July 2026 still achievable? If not, when can the public realistically expect the route to be completed? What contractual issues have brought work to a standstill? What measures are being taken to safeguard public money and ensure the project is delivered?”
Ayrshire Live previously reported that plans were approved by the council’s Regulatory Panel (planning), but opponents labelled the scheme a “sorry tale for a publicly funded, council-sponsored project.” Concerns were raised over potential destruction of wildlife site Shewalton Moss and flooding risks, as well as claims the route was a “radical departure” from the original proposal.
Another Dundonald resident said: “There’s a lack of transparency relating to this local project being delivered by Ayrshire Roads Alliance on behalf of South Ayrshire Council. Local residents support investment in active travel infrastructure. However, they are equally entitled to expect openness, accountability and timely delivery when significant sums of public money are involved.”
When approached by Ayrshire Live, an Ayrshire Roads Alliance spokesperson would only state: “We are not able to provide any further details at this time, a revised completion date will be issued when available.”
