Drivers who use disabled parking bays inappropriately in NHS Ayrshire & Arran car parks will soon be liable for a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

From 1 May 2021, a new Traffic Regulation Order (TRO) comes into place which would make it an offence for anyone not displaying a blue badge to park in designated disabled parking bays at University Hospital Ayr and Crosshouse. The regulation will also apply to those who park longer than the stated time of 20 minutes in the drop-off areas at hospital entrances.

NHS Ayrshire & Arran are working alongside the Ayrshire Roads Alliance to encourage behaviour change by those who misuse the disabled parking bays and free these up for people who have a genuine need to park closer to hospital entrances.

Nicola Graham, Director for Corporate Support Services, explains: “Across our sites, we have almost 5,500 car parking spaces, 261 of which are dedicated disabled parking bays. Despite this, we receive a high number of complaints from service users and visitors to our hospitals that these disabled parking bays are often filled with cars not displaying a blue badge.

“Currently, the misuse of disabled spaces carries a penalty in public car parks and roads, but not in hospital sites. By introducing this TRO, we hope to discourage drivers from parking inappropriately – either in disabled parking bays or in the drop-off areas at our hospital entrances.”

Ayrshire Roads Alliance, acting on behalf of East and South Ayrshire Councils, will patrol these spaces and issue any relevant penalty notices in line with the Traffic Regulation order.

Kevin Braidwood, Interim Head of Ayrshire Roads Alliance said:  “ARA is pleased to be working in partnership with NHS A&A to help tackle this problem, to ensure those most in need can access these spaces when required and we ask for the public’s cooperation in achieving this.”

Nicola Graham adds: “We want to improve the hospital experience for everyone who visits our sites, and that includes the experience of those using our hospital car parks. We hope that by introducing these regulations, we can ensure that our car parks are used appropriately, and that those who need to park closer to our hospitals are able to do so easily.”

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance, as part of its ongoing programme to improve the condition of the road bridge network, will be carrying out essential bridge deck replacement works on Dalquharran Bridge, Dailly

The works which are due to start on Thursday 22nd April 2021 will continue until Saturday 22nd October 2022.

During this time vehicles exceeding 3 tonnes in weight will not be permitted to use the bridge, weight restrictions will apply only when the appropriate signs are displayed.

Emergency vehicles will not be affected and an alternative route suitable for all vehicles greater that 3 tonnes will be signed via the C29 North Water of Girvan / Maybole Road, Kilkerran, Ruglen and B741 via Dailly in both directions.

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the proposals, please email enquiries@ayrshireroadsalliance.org or contact us on 01563 503160 during office hours.

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance, as part of its ongoing programme to improve the condition of the lighting network, will be carrying out essential road lighting replacement works on Annandale Crescent, Annandale View, Springfield Road, Woodland Crescent and Woodland View, Crosshouse

The works which are due to start on Monday 17 May 2021 will continue for up to 6 weeks and will be carried out with minimum disruption to road users.

Under Section 91 of the Roads Scotland Act 1984, we would ask that you prune back as necessary, any vegetation within your property that encroaches onto the public footway so as to remove any obstruction which might impede the works or light distribution. If you are unable to carry out these works, Ayrshire Roads Alliance can arrange to have the works carried out on your behalf with the associated costs being forwarded to yourselves.

Should you wish to discuss any aspect of the proposals, please email enquiries@ayrshireroadsalliance.org or contact us on 01563 503160 during office hours.

Cyclists will benefit from further improvements on Grassyards Road in Kilmarnock after a scheme to improve the surface condition has been brought forward.

The section of road between Mackellar Place and South Dean Road was due to be resurfaced later in the year but will now start on 4 May.

The installation of the trial of soft segregation measures (pictured) on this cycle lane will now happen in two phases to co-ordinate with the resurfacing scheme.

We are keen to receive feedback from all road users during the trial of the soft segregation measures, and a survey will be available on our website after phase 1 has been completed.

Phase two of the New Cumnock’s £8.2m flood protection works are due to start in the coming weeks after East Ayrshire Council appointed a main contractor, Wills Bros Civil Engineering Ltd.

The 18-month project, which is anticipated to start next month, will protect residential and commercial properties near the Afton Water and River Nith through a combination of engineering measures including 900m of earth embankments, 1200m of reinforced concrete walls and 600m of riverbank strengthening.

Prior to the main contractor being appointed, work was carried out to divert a major gas main and other utilities within the area. This will allow phase two to get underway as quickly as possible.

Advance Notices of Entry under the powers of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 have been issued by the Council’s legal section to all known landowners and occupiers who are directly affected by the works.

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance will be implementing a Temporary Road Closure on the A70 Coalhall, from its junction with the B730 Littlemill Road to allow Network Rail to carry out rail bridge repair works.

The works are due to start on Thursday 27th May 2021 and will continue until Friday 11th June 2021

To undertake these works safely and efficiently the road will be closed as follows:

Emergency access will be maintained once the portable scaffolding has been moved out of the way.

Vehicular access for residents/owners/occupiers within the closure will be permitted to and from their properties via the diversion but not through the works site.

Pedestrian access will be maintained throughout the closure period.

Alternative Route: via B730 Littlemill Rd to Drongan, B7046 to Sinclairston and Burnton and U728 to Ochiltree and vice versa.

Advance site works are currently being undertaken in preparation for a further contract planned for the summer which will involve a nominal 300m realignment of a section of the river which has eroded the riverbank.  The current works involve vegetation clearance, invasive weed suppression and localised regrading of the riverbank to prevent birds nesting.

It is not anticipated that either of the projects will require the footpath to be closed.

The Ayrshire Roads Alliance, as part of it ongoing programme to improve the condition of the road network, will be carrying out essential footbridge replacement works on Waterhaughs Footbridge, Darvel

To allow these works to be carried out safely the footbridge will require to be closed for the estimated 5 week duration of the works and this will also require Lintmill road to be closed at certain times during the project.

The section of Lintmill road in front of the footbridge including the junction with Dublin Rd will be closed on Tuesday 23^rd February to allow for the removal of the existing footbridge deck. Thereafter, works to prepare the existing footbridge abutments to receive the new footbridge deck will be undertaken.

Future road closures are planned during this project and the duration of these will be kept to a minimum to cause as little disruption as possible. During crane lifting operations the footpaths in the immediate vicinity will also be closed and access to some properties will require to be taken from the rear.

Browns Road on the opposite side of the river will be kept open to pedestrians as much as possible during the works but may have to be closed periodically for short durations, subject to project requirements.

For further information contact the Ayrshire Roads Alliance on 01563 503160.

The processing of new parking permits within South Ayrshire was placed on hold due to the Covid 19 restrictions placed upon staff. Existing permit holders have been advised to continue displaying expired permits pending the resumption of services and we have been unable to process new applications.

We are pleased to announce that as of 24/08/2020 we are now able to process applications for permit renewals or for new applications. Any permit holder whose permit has expired since March 2020 must now apply and renew before 04/09/2020 as enforcement will commence shortly thereafter.

Customers are advised to contact the SAC Customer Services Team on 0300 123 0900 or by email on customerservices@south-ayrshire.gov.uk where they will receive the relevant advice.

Amended Arrangements

In line with Government guidelines, to reduce face to face contact where possible, we have developed a new process for issuing permits. ARA Parking Officers shall contact each individual permit holder, who’s permit has expired during lockdown, to advise they must renew their permit by the 04/09/2020. They will advise the permit holder to contact the Customer Service team on 0300 123 0900. The Customer Service team will process the permit details and take any associated payment.

Type A Residents Permits (£50 / annum or £16 / quarter)

Residents who’s permits expired during lockdown were advised to continue to display the expired permit and advised we would contact them at the relevant time to take payments for new permits which would be back dated to the previous permit expiry date. In order to keep things simple we are now proposing to start all renewed permits on 01/09/20. This will effectively mean resident parking was free during lockdown. All new Type A permits will be “virtual” and there will be no need to display anything within vehicles.

Type B Residents Permits (£0.50 one off charge)

Residents are entitled to 2 permits per household and the majority of these permits are given to visitors. Therefore, Vehicle Registration Mark (VRMs) are not requested or printed on the permits. We will continue to accommodate this permit system by having paper permits hand delivered pending a proposed review / overhaul of the permit system.

Car Park Permits (Season tickets)

Due to the fact that the car parks were closed from March 20 – May 20, car park permit holders will be offered a three month extension on their new permits effectively receiving 15 months for the price of 12 and the expiry date will be calculated from the date the permit is taken out. Again, permits will be “virtual” and so new permits will need to be allocated to a specific VRM which is a departure from what has been the case previously.

Should a permit holder confirm they will not be renewing their permit due to new home working arrangements we will offer them a pro rata refund.

Prestwick Residents Permits

The vast majority of permits are not due for renewal until Sept / Oct 2020 and so there are no issues regarding the expiry or permits during lockdown. However, as it is again proposed to now issue virtual permits, and in a further departure from the previous arrangements, permits will now be allocated to individual vehicles on confirmation of VRMs.

High Street Ayr Access and Loading Permits

Applicants should contact the Customer Service team on 0300 123 0900 who will process the permit by phone. In respect of Access Permits, applicants will no longer be required to produce two forms of ID to confirm residency as the Customer Service team are able to check internal systems.  Once checked a virtual permit will be issued.

From 24th March 2020 as part of the ongoing Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, Ayrshire Roads Alliance offices within East Ayrshire and South Ayrshire are no longer open.

During this time we are focusing on winter gritting and emergency works.

Emergencies can be reported to the East Ayrshire Council Helpline on 0345 724 0000.