Trains between Ayr & Stranraer via Girvan along with Services between Ayr & Kilmarnock have been unable to operate since the Former station hotel fire in September last year while a limited diesel service remains in operation between Ayr & Prestwick Town. Electric trains have also been unable to operate in or out of Ayr since the fire and Nation Rail has issued an update saying it's unlikely any normal service will return to the Station until Sunday 2nd June. The station has remained partly closed due to the ongoing safety works which have seen the whole southern section of the former station hotel being demolished, recently during inspections of the north tower structural issues have been found which have played a part in pushing back the opening date for the station. Nation Rail said via its Website: On Monday 25 September 2023, a property was on fire near the railway at Ayr. Some lines through the station remain closed for safety reasons. Most trains are unable to run to, from or through Ayr. We don't expect normal service to resume until Sunday 2 June. Customer advice: The following alterations will apply: Trains between Ayr and Glasgow Central will run between Prestwick Town and Glasgow Central only. Some late-night trains will terminate at Kilwinning A half-hourly train service will shuttle between Ayr and Prestwick Town Replacement buses will run between Kilmarnock / Ayr and Girvan Replacement buses will run between Girvan and Stranraer Please note, that the replacement bus pick-up point at Ayr, and for passengers for the Stena coach link to Cairnryan, is the station car park at platform 4.

Uneven road signs have been installed on the A78 from Meadowhead, Irvine to Ayr road, in recent weeks, due to deteriorating conditions on the initial stretch of the road. In the past week, a 40mph temporary speed limit has been introduced on the section of road that is affected. Ayrshire Daily News has received numerous concerns from local residents, all of whom have also lodged complaints with the road maintenance firm, Amey. We contacted Amey in December 2023 regarding the conditions and received acknowledgment that inspections would be carried out. These did occur, but road conditions have since worsened. We then contacted Amey again on 20th March 2024 and have received the following statement: A spokesperson for Amey, the company maintaining the southwest Trunk Road network on behalf of Transport Scotland, said: "Temporary uneven surface signage has been installed on the A78 at Meadowhead to pre-warn road users of the carriageway condition and carriageway resurfacing to address this is scheduled to take place within the next quarter. "This section of carriageway is inspected weekly, and any Category 1 defects are repaired. There will be an improvement in quality that may be noticeable to road users once major resurfacing maintenance is completed. “This maintenance scheme will be communicated via our website swtrunkroads.scot, and affected road users are encouraged to sign up to our free Roadwork Alert service for more information." Since we received this communication in March 2024 stating that resurfacing will take place within the next quarter, which starts in April, this means works could commence by up to June. One concerned local resident, who wishes not to be named, said: "Drivers are furious. This isn't just a small pothole or two; this is a long stretch of road with major potholes, and it's only recently they have limited the speed to 40mph on the affected area. I've counted now 6 vehicles when I've been driving past that are either parked on the grass verge or the lay-by with damage to their cars' tyres. It's unacceptable to leave a road in such disrepair, especially considering the 70mph speed limits. It’s dangerous. What does it take for these large organisations to do something about it? An accident?” If you have been directly impacted by the conditions of the road, or have seen new developing issues, you can submit a report here: https://swtrunkroads.scot/report-a-problem/

Ayr South Harbour Street will be closed all of next week between Monday 8th & Friday 12th for essential waterworks. Local diversions will be in place but severe delays especially at peak times can be expected.

North Ayrshire Labour has selected Mary Hume as their candidate for the upcoming Kilwinning by-election scheduled for 9th May. Before retiring in 2022, Hume dedicated 22 years to teaching in North Ayrshire, including significant roles as Deputy Headteacher at St Luke's primary school in Kilwinning and as Headteacher at S Mary's Primary in Largs. In addition to her educational career, Hume was actively involved in trade union leadership, serving as the branch secretary for the Association of Headteachers and Deputes in Scotland (AHDS), a body that represents senior teachers across Scotland. Hume, who is married to Joe Hume, a former PE teacher, and a mother to two adult children—a son who has pursued a career in teaching and a daughter who works in finance—has expressed her commitment to advocating for Kilwinning, especially in light of the SNP-led North Ayrshire Council's decision to omit the town from the council’s capital investment programme. She has pledged to fight against what she perceives as SNP's detrimental cuts to children’s education. In a statement, Mary Hume said, “I am delighted to be selected as the Labour candidate and look forward to campaigning for a fair deal for Kilwinning alongside Donald Reid and Joe Cullinane. "It is shocking that the SNP Council has locked Kilwinning out of the Council’s capital programme. Kilwinning is North Ayrshire’s second largest town and to have no investment planned from now until 2031 is unacceptable. If I am honoured enough to be elected by the people of Kilwinning, it will be on a clear mandate to secure much needed investment for the town. "As a former Headteacher, I will also provide a strong voice for parents and young people. A good education is the greatest tool available in tackling long-term inequality, economic opportunity, and poverty but after 17 years in power, the SNP have failed on it. With reducing teacher numbers, cuts already approved to school libraries and a planned reduction in Early Years, I will be a Councillor who stands up for education, opposes cuts and demands investment in our children.” Joe Cullinane, leader of the Labour Group, commented on Hume’s candidacy, saying: "Mary brings a wealth of experience to our team as a former Headteacher. She is a first-class candidate and will be an excellent Councillor for Kilwinning. Donald Reid and I are looking forward to campaigning with Mary over the next few weeks and having another voice on the council demanding the investment Kilwinning deserves."

Unforeseen grounds conditions have been identified and are being resolved. Amey, on behalf of Transport Scotland, are undertaking essential drainage work on vulnerable flood sites on the A78 between Seamill and the Waterside Hotel. Maintenance continues from its commencement on Wednesday 1st November 2023 due to unforeseen grounds conditions that have impacted the delivery of the works. The drainage works are now scheduled to complete by Friday 3rd May 2024. Challenging ground conditions including the discovery of historic utilities assets as well as a high-water table and sand have all impacted the excavations to install the new drainage system. This location of the A78 has been identified as a site vulnerable to flooding and is why an extensive and thorough drainage initiative has been undertaken, representing a significant investment in the safety and reliability of this section of the trunk road network. We thank residents and road users for their continued patience as these works progress and apologise for any inconvenience caused. Once complete, this scheme will benefit around 10,600 vehicles using this route each day, by improving how the drainage and footways operate in this area, reducing the need for more extensive maintenance in the future. The work will be carried out under 24-hour temporary traffic lights installed at this location. We thank road users for their patience and co-operation while this essential work takes place. Access for emergency service vehicles will be maintained throughout these works. Please note, all schemes are weather dependent and may be cancelled or rescheduled if weather conditions are not favourable.

The Met-Office have issued yellow warnings for Rain & Wind ahead of Storm Kathleen on Saturday. A spell of very windy weather will pass over Ayrshire during Saturday with wind speeds between 50 & 75MPH for a time. The Met-Office has warned of potential disruption to transport and power infrastructure. The Yellow warning for Wind is valid between 8AM Saturday & 10PM Saturday: The yellow warning for Rain is valid between 2AM Friday & 9AM Friday:

Grange Academy held its seventh Maths Camp recently at Gartmore House, near Aberfoyle, where the young people enjoyed a three-day revision boot camp. Grange Maths Camp is incredibly popular with its young people. Its initial aim back in 2015 was to improve attainment in Higher and Advanced Higher Maths and encourage interest in Advanced Higher. This has proved successful with the school seeing an approximate 8-9% improvement between prelim and final results for those who attend, and there has been an increase in the number of young people taking Advanced Higher, increasing from just six in 2015 to a peak of 45 young people in 2022. Eleven members of staff attended the weekend and ensured it was a success by preparing teaching materials, providing tutorials and ensuring that the young people also had time to enjoy their weekend away. Chris Smith, Maths geek from Grange Academy said: “Grange Academy Maths Camp - it's the stuff of legend. Since 2015 (with an obvious break during the pandemic), hundreds of S5/6 Maths students have attended Maths Camp. “As the SQA exams begin to loom studying is intense with about 13 hours of revision crammed in. That's the key selling point of Maths Camp - the impact on attainment over many years is clear. But Maths Camp offers so much more. It's an adventure for those who've never stayed away without their folks before. It's an opportunity for students and staff to get to know each other over great food, wacky games coordinated by games-master Mrs Strange, energy-sapping inflatables and a lively ceilidh with my band, Jiggered. “It's also a great way to nurture positivity about Mathematics.” Councillor Elaine Cowan, Spokesperson for Education and, Children and Young People said: “A big thank you to the team from Grange Academy who organised and attended Maths Camp 2024. “The tutorial sessions covered National 5 Maths, National 5 Applications, Higher Maths and Advanced Higher Maths with some students working through topic-specific material, others through mixed exercises, some were given short teaching sessions on the key principles of certain concepts, while others just worked away in groups or individually. “For Maths Camp and revision to be considered ‘fun’ and a ‘must-attend event’ is a testament to the Maths Department at Grange Academy. Well done everyone and the very best of luck to our young people in their upcoming exams.”

Owners are urged to apply before the 31st July deadline. XL Bully owners can now apply for an exemption certificate so they can continue to legally own their dogs in the long term. The application scheme runs from today (1 April) to 31 July 2024, after which it will be a criminal offence to own an XL Bully without an exemption certificate. To get an exemption certificate, owners must apply online or by post, pay a £92.40 fee, obtain third-party insurance and neuter and microchip their dogs. Postal applications must be made by 15 July and online applications by midnight on 31 July. Full details of the process and requirements are available on the Scottish Government website. In line with the initial safeguards introduced on 23 February, XL Bully dogs must continue to be muzzled and kept on a lead in public. Owners who decide not to keep their dogs can apply for £100 to cover the cost of euthanasia/veterinary fees and £100 to compensate for the loss of the animal. Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said: “These new safeguards are being introduced to protect the public while giving XL Bully owners time to comply with the new rules. I would encourage XL Bully owners who wish to keep their dogs from 1 August to apply for an exemption certificate in good time. “The Scottish Government continues to work with Police Scotland, local authorities, the SSPCA and others to ensure our communities are kept safe.”

The recent cohort of NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s Improvement Foundation Skills (AAIFS) was joined by the National Clinical Director of Healthcare Quality and Strategy, Professor Jason Leitch, and Deputy National Clinical Director, Dr John Harden, to celebrate graduation day this week. Ayrshire and Arran Improvement Foundation Skills (AAIFS) is a local quality improvement (QI) foundation skills course using NHS Education for Scotland accredited methods to deliver quality improvement training to a multidisciplinary group of staff. Since originally starting in 2020, with a cohort of 10 candidates and the aim of supporting local improvement projects, AAIFS has evolved to three cohorts throughout each year with approximately 180 staff completing the programme. NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s QI Advisor and part of the faculty supporting AAIFS, Kirsty Telfer said, “On behalf of the Quality Improvement team at Ayrshire and Arran, I want to thank Professor Leitch and Dr Harden for coming along to our Cohort 8 graduation day. “The participants shared projects aligning with NHS Ayrshire & Arran’s four pillars – quality, service, people and finance. Some examples included piloting a system for direct referral into Musculoskeletal Physiotherapy services, upskilling pharmacy technicians to complete review or oral anticoagulation medication and reducing theatre turnaround time to ensure theatre list efficiency. “The day provided the perfect setting to demonstrate, first hand, the level of work that each candidate has put into their area of quality improvement.”

Maybole High Street has become home to a new independent store specializing in baby clothing and accessories. Named Monkey Moo, the store opened its doors to the public, drawing attention and praise from the community. The owners, Stephanie and Kevin Murphy welcomed visitors with open arms on their opening day, offering an exclusive look at their delightful range of products. Monkey Moo promises to be a go-to destination for parents and gift-seekers alike, looking for unique and charming items for the little ones. The store has also established a presence on social media, inviting customers to follow them on Facebook for updates, special offers, and more insights into their carefully curated collection. Monkey Moo's arrival on Maybole High Street adds a vibrant new chapter to the area's retail landscape, further enriching the community with its independent spirit and bespoke offerings. The shop has also been completely renovated, including brand-new lighting and nice bright colours.

Gatehead launched its Community Action Plan last weekend with a special celebration event at Gatehead Community Centre. The event kick started the Community Action Plan 2024-2029 which outlines the key priorities that have been identified by members of the community to help make Gatehead an even better place to live and visit. Members of the steering group who led on the plan’s progress spoke about the work carried out so far, while community volunteers talked about what they hope to achieve throughout the plan’s lifespan. The steering group invited Councillor James Adams and Councillor Lillian Jones to share their perspective of working with the group over the years and they both commended the community for their efforts. They also expressed their support to progress the priorities in the Community Action Plan and to help wherever required. Also in attendance were invited guests and partnership organisations who were identified as being able to support the community’s improvement ambitions. Provost Jim Todd also attended the event and said: “This launch marks a milestone for the community of Gatehead who have come together to create a joint vision and working plan on how they can improve their village for the better. I look forward to seeing the visions from the plan coming to life over the next five years.”

Merlin Cinemas has officially opened the doors to its 20th venue, the Astoria, located at the iconic Burns Statue Square. The grand unveiling marks a new chapter in the life of the building, which once operated as an Odeon cinema, 13th July 1938, now revitalized to its former glory. The Astoria's restoration project breathes new life into the historic cinema, promising an accessible and affordable entertainment option for residents and visitors alike. With ticket prices starting at an incredibly low £4, the initiative aims to ensure that everyone can enjoy a night out at the movies without breaking the bank. The transformation of this venue into the Astoria by Merlin Cinemas is more than just the opening of another cinema—it's a nod to the rich cinematic heritage of the area while stepping into the future of entertainment in Ayr. The company's commitment to preserving the charm and history of the original structure, coupled with state-of-the-art enhancements, makes the Astoria a beacon of cultural revitalization in the town. Residents are excited about the opportunity to enjoy first-rate films in a venue that reflects both the history and the potential of their community. The opening of the Astoria is seen as a significant boost to local businesses and a testament to the enduring appeal of communal movie-going experiences in an age where digital streaming services are on the rise. With the curtains now raised, the Astoria stands ready to welcome movie-goers to immerse themselves in stories that inspire, entertain, and provoke thought, all within the walls of a cinema that has itself become a part of Ayr's story.