WORK has begun on completing the long-awaited Fairlie shore path - a decade after councillors voted to go ahead with the project.
The project has gone through no fewer than three public consultations since councillors gave the go-ahead 10 years ago.
The first two stages have been completed - and work on the third and final section is now under way at last.
North Coast councillor Alan Hill, who lives in Fairlie and was among those who took the decision to press ahead with the scheme a decade ago, told the News that he was delighted the construction was underway at long last.
He said: " It has been a long time coming but I am delighted to see the start of the third and final phase of the works.
"Villagers will be pleased to learn that the final phase is to be carried out by W.I. & A. Gilbert, the contractors who delivered phase 2.
"This section from Bay Street to Ferry Row has been warmly welcomed by most people in the village, and it will be fantastic to see this now completed.
"The works will take place on a phased basis over the next 20 weeks and will, by their very nature, necessitate some disruption to villagers and residents immediately beside the path.
"Local residents will be kept informed of any planned disruption, and access to properties will be maintained throughout.
"When completed though we will have an excellent, dry and above all else, safe route from one end of our village to the other, without having to try and negotiate the pinch points along the A78 with prams, buggies or wheel chairs.
"It has been a long time to completion, but I am so pleased that we are now nearing the end.
"I would especially like to thank the hard and persistent work of council officers, led throughout most of this time by Louise Kirk. They have done our village proud."
The 20-week timescale for the work is dependent on the weather.
The project is being funded via SUSTRANS with a grant from Transport Scotland.
The character, design, materials and path widths of the 390-metre final section will be consistent with those of phase two, north of Ferry Row.
Works will start at the north end of the site, north of Ferry Row, working south past the Causeway.
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