Plans to build a cycle lane in Ayr town centre has been met with uproar from local businesses, as the removal of six car parking spaces will cause “disruption” to “our local economy”, according to MP Elaine Stewart.
In an open letter, the MP for Ayr, Carrick & Cumnock said that the town centre cycle lane will disrupt “local business community” and will cause an “increased risk to cyclists forced into narrow traffic lanes.”
The letter also referenced the 2016 Holmston Road cycle lane project, which cost the council £95,000 to remove after an unprecedented level of opposition.
“Repeating that mistake would further erode public trust and squander valuable public funds,” warns MP Elaine Stewart.
“We all want a more accessible, vibrant Ayr—but not at an economic cost. I urge South Ayrshire Council to pause these plans and listen carefully to the voices of business owners, cyclists, and the wider public,” she continued.
Local businesses also believe the plans to build new footways and road surfaces, plant green spaces and add street furniture will harm their businesses.
“Installing cycle lanes may be ‘politically correct’, but the reality is that when they impact parking provisions, it has a detrimental effect on local businesses.
“We do not have the climate to prioritise cycle lanes over cars,” Alleddandro Varesse, the boss at the Blue Lagoon chippy told the Daily Record.
Hayley and Ewen Logan, of Logan the Jewellers, added: “We have yet to hear of a single business or resident who supports this idea, keen cyclists included. Even they like to get their takeaways home while they’re still hot.
“We can only assume the idea originated from the same ‘eco experts’ who suggested the solar-powered talking bins.
“Or perhaps it was the planners of the Holmston Road cycle lane? With the outstanding success of that venture, the council must be eager to repeat it. Why learn from past mistakes when you can waste taxpayer’s money by repeating them?
“But as usual, the council have little idea of what local businesses want or need. Unfortunately, it seems that no matter who is at the head of the council, the same lack of common sense prevails.”
The proposed plans cover High Street, Sandgate, Newmarket Street, Alloway Street and Kyle Street.
The Council chiefs insist that “no decisions have been made” and the proposals are currently the subject of a public consultation.
The scheme is being overseen by Ayreshire Roads Alliance, which is run from neighbouring East Ayrshire Council. Many of the senior South Ayrshire figures claim they were unaware of its progress until the protests were reported.
An Ayrshire Roads Alliance spokesperson said: “As part of the Accessible Ayr project, Sweco are carrying out a public engagement exercise in order to gather feedback on changes to the proposed plans at Alloway Street in Ayr.”
20 thoughts on ““Politically correct” cycle lane plans would put “economic vitality” of town at “serious risk”, warns Labour MP – due to loss of six car parking spaces”
They nay-saryers always
They naysayers always bemoan the cost but never celebrate the beneift
jaymack wrote:
Did you mean ‘nayr-sayrers’?
Yep, typo-alert! Thank you
Typo-alert! Thank you, now ameneded to make to it look a little less like I’d posted in haste
Blue lagoon chippy – railing
Blue lagoon chippy – railing at “politically correct” cycle lanes? Well, you might just get to benefit at the cost of everyone else for a few years via the influence of eg. the likes of a Mr Farage… But I suspect with that viewpoint you haven’t got a prayr …
It looks like Alloway street
It looks like Alloway street is just a small part of the overall plan, I’m sure there will be more complaints when people realise the full extent.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S_XwcbzcLiI
Gosh – bingo time today!
Gosh – bingo time today!
So that’s “I won’t have a penny taken away to help make the place better from the twenties and fifties we are literally pouring into holes in the ground trying to fix the problems of mass motoring with more motoring. But if something comes along which can make everything better – but for free, and without changing the things contributing to the problem – I’m all for it!”
And “I urge South Ayrshire Council to listen to nobody but small business owners and grumpy people who think everyone else should keep paying for their free parking”.
Ayr Town Centre has been
Ayr Town Centre has been dying on its arse for the last 20-25 years, if not longer. Prior to the mid- to late 80’s it was a vibrant Market Town with a fantastic pride in its (council managed) parks, gardens and open, public spaces and beach. For over four decades its simply gone from bad to worse and now, its an utter disgrace. It’s filthy, has a multitude of social issues, has so many empty shops / arcades and both the Top End at Burns Statue Square and the Bottom End at the Bridges, the paint peeling buildings and choked drainpipes are in such a state of disrepair it has to been seen to be believed. The Ayr Town Centre Management Manager Sunil Varu was the last guy that actually put some effort and passion into revitalising Ayr Town Centre. From memory, he left shortly after the Millenium.
South Ayrshire Council are a bunch of utter fuckwits who wouldn’t know their arses from their elbows even if they had an anatomy book and stick on signage to remind themselves where said body parts were located. They literally could not run a sweetie shop at a profit if they got the stock for free and were located in a playground.
The Town Centre got left behind when the Heathfield Development/s got planning permission (from the Council) and there has never been a vision (from the Council, Town Centre Retailers, Businesses & Stakeholders) as to how the Town Centre could actually become relevant once again. A wee bit of isolated development happens at one end of the High Street, from time to time, whilst the buildings at the other end become derelict and, eventually, get pulled down. It’s a farce. No plan, no vision, no leadership and a resounding “no” to anything that might drive change.
South Ayrshire Council, the councillors and the staff and the MP ALL need to hang their heads in shame ….. whilst the degeneration maybe didn’t start on their watch they have done hee haw bugger aw ten times over to address the situation. Despite Levelling Up Funding of £16M ……. which in part was to cover Active Travel!
So, continue as you are South Ayrshire Council and within another 1 or 2 years you will have created Scotland’s newest theme park – JaikieLand with the special attractions of The Chewing Gum Pavement, the quaint Alkie’s & Junkie’s causing much mirth & merriment, The Urban Exloration features in the abandoned shops & malls ALL whilst being shat on by (no not just the jokers and clowns at the Council) but Ayr’s other undealtwith hazzard ….. the shite hawks (seagulls).
Look across the chamber at your next naval gazing meeting SAC and ask yourselves …… do you think Ayr Town Centre is fit for purpose and is a clean, safe and prosperous place to do business? You canny keep justifying the unjustifiable!
I fail to see how a Bike Lane and the loss of a few parking spaces would make the Town Centre any worse that it is. A jewelers will still sell a watch or a ring and I’m certain the vape shops, phone unlockers, take aways and pound stores and so on will keep adding their special brand of magic to the Ayr Retail Experience. Hell, pop in some safe bike lockers and the cafes might get some more business and the sandwich shops too. God, a small change might start and perople may start moving actively and derive enjoyment from it.
“We do not have the climate to prioritise cycle lanes over cars” was one quote given against the plans …… neither does Holland pal, but they seem to do OK whilst Scotland has the lowest life expectancy in Europe.
I’m sure this is a tale repeated around hundreds of formerly prosperous and vibrant towns around the UK. It always hits hardest when it’s one’s own hometown.
I’ll get my coat now
MacShire that is a very
MacShire that is a very compelling campaign announcement! I would definitely vote for you if I were in your consituency!
I’m with you except the
I’m with you except the ‘dealing with the seagull hazard’ part. What do you want the council to do about them?
bikes wrote:
According to GOV.UK:
Typically, these issues have involved lesser black-backed gulls and herring gulls, which can become particularly aggressive during their nesting season and when rearing young. In many cases the problems can be avoided or kept to tolerable levels by local authorities and landowners taking preventative measures such as installing netting or wire over vulnerable roosting areas, keeping food storage and waste facility areas secure and discouraging deliberate feeding of birds by the public.
From my visits to the coast I’d say definitely providing more secure bins, i.e. ones covered by flaps when not in use rather than ones with open sides, and more regular emptying during peak holiday times could make a massive difference. I wish we lived in a world where when a bin is full to overflowing people don’t think that gives them a right to dump their fast food leftovers on the pavement next to the bin but until that’s dealt with (more monitoring wardens and bigger fines please!) more regular emptying of bins would definitely help.
Rendel Harris wrote:
Isn’t that the problem in the first place?
I think you need to put
I think you need to put yourself forward as a local councillor.
I have not seen any research
I have not seen any research that shows shops have closed down because of a cycle lane. The main reason that a lot of shops have closed down is the high cost of gas, electricity and the internet. The anti-cycling councillors should stop making up facts.
Don’t forget staff – paying
Don’t forget staff – paying their wages and all the other overheads associated with having bodies in a bricks-and-mortar retail business.
I think MacShire has summed up the attitude of many councillors (and council planners) towards active travel and especially cycling: “we don’t do that kind of thing here” and “it gets in the way of people trying to get to / do their job” etc etc despite all the evidence that pedestrianisation is a boon for town and city centres.
Also business owners (invariably people who primarily drive everywhere) aren’t always best positioned to judge how demand might change – we’ve all seen the studies that demonstrate how they have a skewed idea of how many people drive into town vs other modes of transport.
But no shops have closed
But no shops have closed because of cycle lanes have they?
IIRC a couple of businesses
IIRC a couple of businesses claiming so have been reported on here. Where further info was available I think one was really complaining about road works generally (which included some cycle provision) and another (a chippy, was it?) sounded more like it was simply struggling anyway and the owner wanted out.
OTOH cycle paths have definitely closed because of shops! One of the early ones in NL was actually dug up by shopkeepers!
https://bicycledutch.wordpress.com/2018/11/13/the-demonstration-cycle-route-in-the-hague/
They (almost all) think differently now though.
* We don’t want cycle lanes – separate cycle paths or very low traffic streets please!
“Installing cycle lanes may
“Installing cycle lanes may be ‘politically correct’, but the reality is that when they impact parking provisions, it has a detrimental effect on local businesses.
This lie has been peddled for at least thirty years, and it still isn’t true. AFAIK, every place that has introduced better provision for walkers and cyclists shows an increase in local trade, so by opposing this, the local traders are ensuring their own extinction.
I well remember, probably thirty years ago, the front page headline ‘Cycle lane threat to businesses’ I think it was, with a picture of two local business men standing in it with hands raised in a stop sign, in the Bristol Evening Post. They were protesting that a cycle lane along one edge of a busy main road on College Green would destroy their businesses by removing parking spaces. That was thirty years ago, and I went back two weeks ago for a conference; the businesses were thriving as never before.
This cycle lane isn’t just ‘politically correct’ it’s correct in trade, health, pollution and congestion terms, and anyone opposing it is showing that they really don’t have a clue about any of those.
Remember, kids you’re a
Remember, kids you’re a blocker and a NIMBY only if you’re against a £10bn environnement wrecking road scheme.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves targets court ‘blockers’ to Lower Thames Crossing project between Kent and Essex
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves says she wants to cut the time it takes to deal with judicial reviews (JRs) and to limit the number of such actions being brought against major projects.
https://www.kentonline.co.uk/gravesend/news/nimbys-and-blockers-to-10bn-thames-crossing-in-chancellors-331145/
Ah the blue lagoon –
Ah the blue lagoon – contributing to Glasgow’s reputation on the cardiac capital and standing in the way of anything that might improve the situation and save a few bucks for the creaking NHS.
Ahh yes.
Ahh yes.
“Our town centre shops need 6 parking spaces in the middle of the most congested area in 10-15 miles to compete with the out of town shopping centre with 300 parking spaces and a direct, only congested for 10 minutes a day, dual carriageway leading to it”…
The town centres selling point is proximity – being able to walk/cycle in a couple of minutes rather than needing a car. You are never going to compete with out of town shopping with 100’s to 1000’s of parking spaces built for optimal car access…