Work has begun on the £29m Maybole bypass, which is set to offer opportunities for SME’s to bid for subcontractor roles during construction on the project in south Ayrshire.

The project will involve the construction of 5km of carriageway with associated junctions and will include opportunities for overtaking. Work will also be required to tie-in the new bypass to the existing A77 trunk road.

Scottish cabinet secretary for transport, infrastructure and connectivity, Michael Matheson, visited the site to break first ground on the new bypass, which will be built to the north of Maybole. Matheson said: “I am delighted to be here in Maybole to mark the start of this project which has been long awaited, particularly by the local community. The project will deliver benefits for both road users and the local community, and builds upon the significant investment already delivered across ten improvement projects on the A75 and A77 since 2007. The Scottish government is committed to having a safer and more efficient transport network, and the start of this work is another step forward to delivering this for the people of Scotland.”

Transport Scotland awarded the £29m contract to construct the bypass to Wills Bros Civil Engineering in April. On completion, the bypass will separate local traffic from those travelling longer distances, including to the port of Cairnryan. This, says the Scottish government, will “provide better journey time reliability for road users as well as improved safety and environmental benefits for the local community.”

There will also be “opportunities during construction for small and medium enterprises, including local businesses, to bid for subcontractor roles and the provision of at least four vocational and seven professional, site-based training opportunities.”  

It is estimated that the project could employ up to 165 people during peak construction, with the bypass expected to open in Summer 2021.