A KILWINNING blackspot will undergo a safety overhaul after residents won their fight with transport bosses.

The A737 road which runs from Dalry to Kilwinning has been the the site of numerous accidents and near misses, the most recent being an ambulance being hit by another car near to the Dalgarven Mill in October.

Residents say they feel unsafe walking along the pavement, access to and from from properties and side roads is dangerous, and bus passengers need to wait on a grass verge next to the road.

They have long raised concerns to transport bosses and politicians and this week finally go their chance to meet with MSP for Cunninghame South, Ruth Maguire, Transport Scotland, Transerv and Police Scotland to discuss a comprehensive package of proposed safety improvements to the A737.

The proposed safety improvements, which are focused on changing drivers’ perception, include new warning signage upon entrance to the village and at junctions, new road markings and the introduction of a bus shelter.

Detailed surveys will now be undertaken to develop and finalise the proposals, with work anticipated to commence in spring 2018.

This concrete progress comes after many months of pressure from local SNP MSP, Ruth Maguire, who back in March 2017 succeeded in persuading Transport Scotland, Transerv, and Police Scotland to attend an onsite meeting along with her and affected residents and business owners

Ruth said: “Residents in Dalgarven village have been concerned about road safety in their village for some time and these actions are very welcome.

I will continue to work with residents and transport authorities during implementation and afterwards to ensure that these measures bring about our shared goal of making the village safer for pedestrians and drivers alike.”

Electronic copies of the detailed proposed improvements will be circulated by Transerv in due course. Anyone interested can contact the constituency office of Ruth Maguire MSP to request a copy, by phoning 01294 276 730, or emailing ruth.maguire.msp@parliament.scot.