The Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA) is to make minor changes to the cycleway project on Holmston Road, after an independent audit was carried out.
(Image from go bike strathclyde cycle campaign via Daily Record online)
Undertaken by Capita, the routine audit was completed on 1 September and did not highlight any traffic issues on Holmston Road as a result of the new cycleway.
Stewart Turner, Head of Roads at ARA said:
"A number of suggestions were made by Capita and the local community and I'm happy we can take these forward along with a few minor alterations based on our own observations".
From Thursday 22 September, the bus that waits for Kyle Academy pupils on Holmston Road at the end of the school day will go into the school car park and wait for pupils there. For other buses momentarily stopping for passengers, drivers can overtake when safe to do so, as they would normally do on any other single carriage way road.
Road markings at the Overmills Road junction will be improved, so vehicles turning right can sit in a marked out area allowing cars to pass on the left. The work to the junction will be completed by Friday 30 September weather permitting and will be monitored on completion.
To allow cyclists easier access to the cycleway at Overmills Road, there will be dropped kerbs and signage and at the bus stops new signage will be introduced to tell cyclists that pedestrians boarding or exiting buses have priority. At the end of the cycleway just before the main cemetery gates, signs will be introduced to alert drivers that cyclists could be crossing the road. Visibility will also be improved by moving the existing parking bays so cyclists can be seen more easily by drivers. All these works will be completed by Friday 30 September weather permitting.
The new kerbs marking out the cycle lane have been white lined and are clearly visible during the day and reflective strips highlight them at night. There is little chance of the cycleway kerbs becoming obscured by snow as they are on a primary route into Ayr so will be kept clear.
Pedestrians with buggies or prams are encouraged to use the existing safe crossing points which have dropped kerbs at the other side of the road.
Mr Turner added: "I'm satisfied that we have fully met the aims and objectives of this project. We have taken into account feedback from users and the independent audit and are making minor adjustments and improvements to the scheme as a result.
"This is an important project and shows we remain committed to connecting communities and making Ayr town centre more accessible to sustainable forms of travel."