Concerns raised over major A78 road closure in Largs

The first phase will see the A78 between Morrisons roundabout and May Street being closed between 8pm on Friday, October 18 and 8pm on Sunday, October 20.

During this time, there will be no access to Irvine Road from Gogoside Road, Lovat Street and Scott Street. Access to Irvine Road will be maintained via Bankhouse Avenue.

Additionally, there will be no access to Charles Street and John Street from Irvine Road, and local access to the town will be maintained from the north and the south.

Temporary traffic lights will be in operation at Morrisons roundabout between the hours of 7am and 7pm on both Saturday, October 19 and Sunday, October 20.

For phase two, the A78 between May Street and Haylie Brae will be closed on October 20 and 21 between 8pm and 6am each night.

Local access to the town will be maintained from the north only. Traffic management will be removed by 6am on Tuesday, October 22.

Resident David Rollo has written to Amey and Transport Scotland outlining his concerns.

He said: "To close the whole A78 for a whole weekend and require a 53 mile diversion for those travelling to Largs from the south is frankly ridiculous.

"The stretch of road which is to be worked on has at least four viable diversion routes, that would add only a matter of yards to the journey. 

"This would require the work to be done in stages and perhaps a small length as a split resurface but the limited extra difficulty for your staff would be minor.

"This planned diversion will hit local trade, which relies heavily on weekend visitors, and make life very difficult for local residents."

He has called for the matter to be re-examined in order to improve the situation.

Cllr Ian Murdoch is looking for clarity concerning access during road closures (Image: Newsquest)

Independent councillor Ian Murdoch said: "I am glad that the works are finally getting done as they were supposed to be getting done earlier this year at the start of the tourism season and we agreed to put them back to now, but I still have many concerns about people's access.

"In phase one, is Anthony Road and May Street still accessible for southbound traffic, and traffic coming from the south?

I am still trying to get clarity on that, as it certainly doesn't look possible in stage two resulting in the lengthy diversion.

"May Street is not supposed to have heavy vehicles on it because of the weight tonnage with the vehicles but cars should be allowed to use it.

"And phase one suggest that cars will still be able to move about in the lower part of the works but I am trying to find out if this is definitely the case.

"If you live in Fairlie or West Kilbride and you need an opticians appointment, how do you get in as the buses won't be running so can you still get in with a car as there will be no buses running?

"How does the petrol station and other businesses in that area manage to operate? And what about accessing the Haylie Brae?"

A spokesperson for Amey, the company that maintains the south-west trunk road network on behalf of Transport Scotland, said: “Following discussion with the elected members for Largs, our planned maintenance scheme for A78 Irvine Road was rescheduled for October 2024, and is being delivered in two phases. Phase One requires a full closure of the A78 Irvine Road, from Morrisons roundabout to Springfield Gardens, with Phase Two requiring two further overnight closures; with the works expected to complete by 6am on Tuesday 22nd October.

“Sections of the A78 in this area are reaching the end of their operational life and require repair to ensure their continued safety and reliability. Undertaking this work now, will prevent these roads deteriorating further during the winter period, which would cause more extensive disruption and inconvenience.

“The standard agreed diversion route communicated for maintenance on the A78 in Largs has been agreed with stakeholders, including the local authority and the emergency services, and is required to be suitable for all types of vehicles including HGVs. The Haylie Brae will be open throughout the works period as it forms part of the diversion route.

“During Phase One, various restrictions will be in place on affected local roads with Anthony Road and May Street operating on a one-way basis, to maintain local access for residents and businesses within the extents of the closure. Please note, that while access will be maintained for local residents and businesses, there will be no travel through the extents of the works. Traffic wishing to travel northbound or southbound of the works should use the agreed signed diversion route.

“Those intending to travel to Largs during the works period are advised to plan ahead and allow extra time for any journeys. For those travelling by public transport, please consult your local operator or Traveline Scotland for the latest arrangements.

“Access to the petrol station will be maintained locally. Access will be maintained for the emergency services, including local authority care workers.

“Overnight closures for Phase Two have been chosen to reduce disruption at peak travel times and are taking place when traffic volumes are lower.

“When work is being carried out on the carriageway there must be enough room for pavers, milling equipment, and tippers to operate. On this scheme, the depth of works required, and available road widths would mean that traffic in the running lane would be directly adjacent to a deeply excavated carriageway. This means that, on this occasion, a convoy system or single lane working would not ensure the safety of road users and road operatives.

“The combined total of this work, alongside the recent carriageway improvements on the A78 Skelmorlie, represents an investment of approx. £450k in the infrastructure of the A78 trunk road through these sections of the southwest network.

“Full details of this scheme, including phases, road closures, and traffic management information, are available via our website https://swtrunkroads.scot/scottish-south-west-trunk-roads/a78/a78-largs-resurfacing/ and our free Roadwork Alerts service. These works have been communicated via ads in the Largs and Millport News, extensive residential and business leafleting, geo-targeted social media posts, and radio advertisements.

“This is a complex and challenging scheme, but we are grateful for the support, patience and understanding of road users while this essential maintenance is completed.”