This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Three Town bypass gets go ahead
24/06/2003
Work is to begin in August on a new bypass for the Ayrshire towns of Ardrossan, Stevenston and Saltcoats.
Transport Minister Nicol Stephen said that a two-year contract to construct the 6.4 km Three-Town Bypass on the A78 in North Ayrshire had been awarded to a joint venture between AWG and Mowlem for a fixed sum of £26.2 million. Work should be completed by summer 2005.
A separate contract to build a new railway bridge over the bypass would be awarded later this year.
Mr Stephen said:
"Traffic congestion in the centre of the three towns will be reduced as a result of the bypass, leading to quicker journey times. The bypass will mainly be of dual-carriageway standard that will not only reduce congestion, but also bring further safety and environmental benefits.
"This is good news for the people of Ardrossan, Stevenston and Saltcoats. They have been campaining for a bypass for many years and I am pleased to see work now beginning. This substantial new investment will create real environmental improvements and at the same time make transport safer and more efficient."
Funding for the bypass has come out of the Executive's Motorways and Trunk Roads Budget.
The A78 Three-Town Bypass of Ardrossan, Stevenston and Saltcoats was one of 5 major schemes selected for construction in the 1999 Strategic Roads Review.
The project involves the construction of approximately 5.2 km of new dual-carriageway, 1.2 km of single carriageway with climbing lane, four roundabout junctions and associated side roads together with a number of bridges.
AWG and Mowlem formed a 'one-off' joint venture to bid for the works in competitive tender with two other construction companies. The successful bid was in the sum of £26,198,307.