B7072

B7072 Hurlford Road

The B7072 is a short link south of Kilmarnock which follows the former, pre-bypass route of the A734 along Hurlfield Road between Riccarton and Bellfield. The re-classification took place in 1973.

The route starts at the southern roundabout of the A71 / B7038 GSJ in Riccarton and heads eastwards along the residential Hurlford Road. After passing a park on the right, a large industrial site sits on the left, partially screened by roadside housing. The route otherwise passes through a largely residential area and after going over the brow of a hill it gains service roads on both sides, so no further buildings line the B7072. It's not long before the road bears to the left in an area of parkland to go under the A71, which runs along an embankment screened by mature trees. The route ends at a mini-roundabout on the A735 immediately afterwards. Bellfield Interchange ( where the A71 / A76 / A77 / A735 all meet) is just to the right.

History

The original line of the B7072 in 1973

Prior to the opening of the A77 Kilmarnock Eastern Bypass in 1973, this was part of the route of the A734. When the bypass opened, the A71 was diverted onto the eastern end of the A734, and the remainder was renumbered as the B7072. However, as the A71 Southern Bypass had not yet been built, the B7072 originally had a slightly different line at each end. At the western end, the roundabout didn't exist, so the route started further south and headed north east along Campbell Place before kinking right onto Hurlford Road. At the opposite end, the route originally continued ahead to meet the roundabout at Bellfield Interchange, it's place subsequently being taken by the A71, with the B7072 diverted to meet the A735 instead.