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The new section of the A737 at the Den opened to traffic early today (5 December) and road users are asked to take extra care on approach to the new road layout.
The A737 Den Realignment project involves the construction of a new road to remove the existing substandard bends, introducing road safety benefits at this location.
With traffic moved on to the new road, the contractor Interserve Construction Limited, will remain on site for a period of time to complete works to the old A737 and undertake necessary finishing, snagging and seasonal landscape work.
The construction contract was awarded to Interserve Construction Limited in September 2018.
A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:
“We would like to take this opportunity to thank the local community for their patience during the construction of this key improvement project which will deliver safety improvements for North Ayrshire road users.”
As mentioned above Beith bypass is the next phase of improvements for the A737. Draft Orders were published 2 years ago but no Made Orders seem to have appeared yet. Hopefully with completion at the Den and Dalry bypass, the Beith project will get moving next.
I travel along this section of the A737 quite often and would probably agree that one of the main problems associated with the current Beith bypass identified by the proposals is the pair of crossroads along it. The speed limit along the bypass is already 50mph and I doubt that is as a result of the road briefly entering Beith at its north end, but rather it could be down to the relatively unsafe B777 and B706 crossroads.
The Dalry Bypass was a road scheme to construct a bypass of the town of Dalry in North Ayrshire on the A737. From the south end, it starts near Hillhead Farm on the existing A737. A new roundabout was formed here (Hillend Roundabout), then the new road heads north east on a new viaduct crossing the River Garnock and railway line. From here the road passes south of Blairland Estate, where it is crossed by an overbridge carrying the [[C57 (North
Wasn’t sure where to put this but North Ayrshire Council has been successful in its bid to the levelling up fund to upgrade the B714, making it a more attractive way to bypass Kilwinning. Here’s an extract from a council report a few months ago:-
B714 Upgrade
2.8 This will upgrade the B714 between the A737(T) (south of Dalry) to the A78(T) at Sharphill roundabout. This will include the realignment of sections of the route to improve the road geometry and the construction of a new link between the B714 and the A737(T) at the Dalry Bypass junction, south of Dalry. The B714 will remain a single carriage however the entire route would be widened. Active travel and environmental enhancements will also be delivered as part of the programme.
2.9 Upgrading the B714 is a strategic transport priority for the Council. It will significantly improve connectivity between North Ayrshire and Glasgow, the Central Belt and wider motorway network. This will substantially increase the potential for tourism and economic growth and provide enhanced links to the Arran and Cumbrae Ferry services. This will also contribute to the repopulation of our islands and rural areas by providing improved access between the ferry terminals, mainland settlements, Glasgow, the central belt and wider motorway network. This will ensure that those living in our rural, remote and island communities are well connected and have equitable access to services as those living in the rest of Scotland.
2.10 The project aligns with the LUF criteria for the transport theme by creating new and upgraded road infrastructure. A total of £25m to £30m is required to deliver the project.
I would definitely agree with the B714 improvement being the better option than the two options for Kilwinning western bypasses. Coming from Glasgow the M77 would probably be the best route for reaching Irvine or anywhere else further down the coast - areas that would benefit more from the western bypass options than from the B714 improvement option. The A737 would be a more realistic route for reaching anywhere between Kilwinning and Ardrossan, so a more suitable road network would then reach a wider area of the Ayrshire coast if the B714 was improved.
The current B714 between Dalry and the A78 is a pleasant rural drive. It is around 4 miles long. The road has some sharpish bends and good straights. Traffic is quite light and overtaking is possible. Its width (neither wide nor narrow) probably adds to the enjoyment. There can be farm traffic, puddles and potholes. Speed is reduced at the steep hill and sharp bends at Lynn Bridge by single file traffic controlled by traffic lights.
Since the Dalry By-pass opened the B714 has got busier and the B780 quieter. The A737 through Kilwinning is possibly busier but I don't use it that often so I'm not the best judge.
I'm not convinced improving the B714 will make much difference to journey times or congestion on the A737/A738. It may make the B714 safer and slightly reduce traffic through Kilwinning but reducing journey times by a minute isn't going to make many switch from the A737. The A737/A738 will remain the quickest route for many.
Possibly reclassifying the B714 as an A road may make more people use it, but it wouldn't make sense to re-route the A737 that way.
If walking or cycling I would prefer the relatively flat A737 rather than climbing up 75m and descending back down on the other side. It can be exposed to quite strong winds on top.
swissferry wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 20:53
Possibly reclassifying the B714 as an A road may make more people use it, but it wouldn't make sense to re-route the A737 that way.
Presumably improving the B714 and linking it to the Dalry bypass directly would attract traffic previously using the B780, to the point where it might be logical to declassify the B780 from Ardrossan to the B781 junction.
swissferry wrote: ↑Mon Dec 05, 2022 20:53
If walking or cycling I would prefer the relatively flat A737 rather than climbing up 75m and descending back down on the other side. It can be exposed to quite strong winds on top.
I think the aim here is to provide pedestrians with a safer route to walk along than beside the A737 and the busy traffic. Between Kilwinning and Dalry the NCN7 follows the country road running parallel to the A737 on the east side. I’ve been on it a number of times by bike and on foot and for cycling it is okay, but at the end of the day it is still a windy and hilly countryside road and walking along it will come with the usual risks. That said, the proposals for pedestrians would be more useful if walking to Dalry from somewhere like Saltcoats rather than Kilwinning.