Plans for B778 road realignment to improve community safety
East Ayrshire Council has agreed to put a Compulsory Purchase Order (CPO) in place for the purchase of six parcels of land to enable the B778 road to the south-east of Stewarton to be realigned.
The CPO is part of a scheme prepared by the Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA) to widen and realign the road in order to help improve safety and accommodate increased traffic flow arising from proposed residential developments in and around the town. Without the CPO in place, there could be delays in acquiring the land which in turn could delay construction.
Once the Order is in place, the intention is to negotiate terms to acquire the land from the four different landowners involved, with the CPO only being used where terms cannot be agreed.
Councillor Jim McMahon, Cabinet Spokesperson for Housing, Transport and Communities said: “The B778 road links Stewarton with the M77 motorway to the east and caters for a large volume of traffic including HGVs and agricultural vehicles. Stewarton has seen significant growth in the number of new houses being built in recent years which has resulted in an increased number of vehicles using the B778.
“By removing a narrow section of the road and a number of the sharp bends, we will be able to accommodate an increased volume of traffic, improve community safety and help reduce road accidents.”
The funding for the land acquisition and realignment of the road has been identified within the Ayrshire Roads Alliance’s Capital Budget.