B714 upgrade

The upgrading of the B714 has been approved as part of a successful North Ayrshire Council joint funding bid to the UK Government's Levelling Up Fund.

The B714 links the trunk road network from the A78 Sharphill roundabout (Three Towns bypass) to the A737, south of Dalry. It is a vital link for:

• road users travelling to the west coast
• ferry links to Arran and Cumbrae

The upgrade of the B714 will:

• improve connectivity between North Ayrshire and Glasgow, the central belt, and wider motorway network
• increase the potential for tourism and economic development
• provide better links to ferry services
• contribute to the re-population of islands and rural areas
• ensure that those living in rural, remote, and island communities are well connected and have equitable access to services
• divert a significant volume of traffic away from Kilwinning

Phase 1 includes:

• re-alignment of a 3.5km section of B714 between Girthill Farm and a proposed roundabout on Kilwinning Road, adjacent to the Hillend Roundabout (A737/Kilwinning Road)
• re-aligned junctions improving visibility for vehicles on the B714 and those waiting to join the B714
• a 9.3m wide single carriageway cross section, comprising two 3.65m lanes with a 1.0m hard-strip at each side between Girthill Farm and Craighead Farm
• an additional 3.0m wide overtaking lane on the uphill gradient, between the proposed roundabout at Kilwinning Road and Craighead Farm

Girthill Farm to the A78(T) Sharphill Roundabout. The western end of phase 1 can be seen at the right-hand side of the image with two new sections proposed in phase 2.

A path for cyclists and pedestrians will be delivered in phase 2, providing an active travel route between Saltcoats and Dalry.

• planning application
• services and public utility relocation
• biosecurity management plan
• road safety audit
• preparation of contract
• construction tender period

• construction - Spring 2025 to 2026

The project will contribute to community wealth building. It will have a positive impact on council ambitions under the following pillars:

• procurement - opportunity for a local supply chain
• fair employment - opportunities for local training, work experience and employment, particularly within the construction sector
• financial power - investment in the B714 corridor and attracting external national investment

There will be consultation and negotiation with landowners around the acquisition of land.

In order to meet that timetable imposed by the Scottish Government, the compulsory purchase order (CPO) process will run in parallel with negotiations. Please see:

• B714 compulsory purchase order
• B714 CPO map
• North Ayrshire Cabinet report 29 August 2023 and related meeting minute 29 August
• North Ayrshire Council report 1 November 2023 and related meeting minute 1 November
• Environmental Impact Assessment report

Got a question not covered above? Please see our B714 upgrade FAQs document, or email the project team.