Furious neighbours have hit out after a road closure has given them an eye watering 18 mile detour for a pint of milk.
Disgruntled residents Jim Skimming and Denis McIvor say an entire community has been cut off after road chiefs took the decision to close off the main route to Ayr – only three miles away.
Work to install an underpass for a cycle lane at Dunure Road has shut down the A719 leading to chaos for those staying south of Doonfoot, including a major holiday resort and a family farm park.
The road slammed shut on Saturday, February 25 and is due to reopen on Monday, March 13.
It means businessman Jim faces a 40 mile round-trip to work, with diversions taking him along the coastal route towards Dunure, heading back to Ayr via Maybole.
Jim, who stays in a small residential estate off Dunure Road on the outskirts of Ayr, told Ayrshire Live: “All the neighbours are furious.
“I’m not against the idea of improving cycle lanes, but what they are doing is cutting off the whole community. They have left us hanging dry.
“I drove to Brig o’ Doon Hotel yesterday, it is a mile away, it took me 20 minutes to drive there.
“The local Co-op where I’d go for a pint of milk is only half a mile down the road, that would now take me 25 minutes to drive to. It’s 40 miles to get to my work in Ayr and back.
“They haven’t thought about any of us. There’s no access for emergency vehicles so let's hope we don't have a house fire. We'd probably not have a house left by the time it took them to get from Ayr to here."
Jim says the detours on offer are either too long or too dangerous, with the other alternative sending motorists up the Carrick Hills along a single track road.
Jim added: “You wouldn’t send your auntie up there.
“It is straight up a 24 degree radius on a single track road, with a lot of blind corners. That is the quickest road but you’d be brave to attempt it.
Scotland’s largest holiday park, Craig Tara is among the key businesses affected by the closure.
The super-caravan park has been left in a sweat over the closure as they scramble to get family resort ready for the summer season which kicks off on March 10.
General Manager Sean Rafter said: “It’s a huge diversion that is going to affect visitors and our team.
“As a large business in the area this will have a significant impact.
“We just hope that it is no more than two weeks. Any longer and we’ll really struggle.”
Both Craig Tara and affected residents claim that they were never consulted over the work, and were instead told that the road would be closed giving them just four weeks to arrange alternatives.
But ARA bosses insist that they engaged with local communities and elected members over an “extended period of time.”
Craig Tara boss Sean, said: “I don’t feel as a business manager that I’ve been consulted on this. They just emailed last month to say the road would be closed.
“We’re shut for five months of the year, so there would have been times of the year that will have had less impact for us.”
Ayrshire Live also understands that neighbouring Heads of Ayr Farm Park has completely shut their midweek indoor attraction throughout the duration of the works.
Kevin Braidwood, Head of Roads at the Ayrshire Roads Alliance said: "Project engagement with local communities and elected members has been undertaken over an extended period of time, and the notification associated with the road closure has been undertaken in line with legislative requirements.
"ARA apologise for any disruption the works may cause for affected residents and businesses."
Read next:
- Exhausted mum who knew 'something wasn't right' diagnosed with stage 4 cancer
- Extreme sadness as 'lack of support' blamed for Ayrshire golf club's sudden closure
- Man fighting for life after car hits him while helping friends on A77
- Fuming neighbours brand Brig o' Doon plans a 'preposterous monstrosity' as owners defend £2m proposals
- Fire at iconic Ayrshire Irish pub as crews rush to blaze in Prestwick town centre
Don't miss the latest Ayrshire headlines – sign up to our free daily newsletter here
