B7049

The B7049 follows the pre-bypass route of the A737 through Beith in north Ayrshire.

Wilson Street, Beith

The route starts on the A737 at the Manrahead Roundabout at the southern end of the bypass. The B777 also now reaches here and so the B7049 number is dominant in a useless multiplex into the town centre, which has always been the case. The route therefore heads north along the residential Dalry Road, which becomes traffic-calmed as it draws near to the town centre. A right kink through trees is followed by a grassy slope to the right and some large old detached stone houses on the left. The route then winds onto Eglinton Street, which is lined with long terraces of older houses and becomes one of the towns main shopping streets. There are some interesting buildings here, their architecture speaking of a prosperous past which sits at odds with the slightly rundown nature of the town today. A signalised T junction sees the B706 turn right, while the B7049 continues ahead along a short road called Cross.

The multiplex ends here, with the B777 turning right, whilst the B7049 bears left into Reform Street. This is a relief road of the town centre which takes a long meandering loop around the narrow streets of the old town centre. Along the way it passes the old parish church, parkland, a supermaket and pockets of modern housing. Eventually the route resumes its old line along Wilson Street, and follows this northeastwards. At first it seems quite narrow, squeezing between old stone terraces, but there is room for a row of parked cars, and it soon widens with a substantial church making a prominent landmark ahead. A shortish run along the tree lines Rosebank Road passes through the suburbs, and it's not long before the end of the road is reached. This is a sharp north facing fork, with a slip road for traffic to turn left into Beith, back on the A737 ta the northern end of the bypass.

History

The Beith Bypass was built soon after the roads were first classified in 1922, and completed by 1932, so it seems likely the old route was re numbered as the B7049 at that time. Despite the towns bypass, it was still felt necessary to construct the relief road around the northern part of the town centre. The old route follows the narrow Main Street and Wilson Street in a much straighter line. Main Street is now one-way northbound, and while Wilson Street is a little wider, and two way, parked cars mean it is effectively only wide enough for a single line of traffic.