Business care approved for B714 upgrade

North Ayrshire Council is pushing ahead with a proposal for a major upgrade of the B714 - a key artery between the Three Towns and the Garnock Valley, connecting North Ayrshire with Glasgow.

The council’s cabinet approved the Full Business Case for the B714 upgrade, which will now be sent to the UK Government for approval.

The B714 links the trunk road network from the A78 Sharphill roundabout at the Three Towns bypass, to the A737, south of Dalry.

Councillor Tony Gurney, cabinet member for Green Environment and Economy, said: “This will see us enter the final stages of planning for what will be a major investment in the Garnock Valley and wider area. We have been successful in applying for one of the largest Levelling Up Fund grants in Scotland, worth £23.7 million, and this will be supplemented by investment from our own Capital Budget to ensure the project can move ahead.

“The Full Business Case is one of the final pieces of the jigsaw and demonstrates how transformational this can be for communities from the Three Towns, right through to Dalry and the Garnock Valley. Upgrading the B714 will significantly improve road connectivity between North Ayrshire and other parts of Scotland, particularly to Glasgow and the central belt, helping to provide better road links and encourage investment in the area.”

Work on the B714 upgrade will include the realignment of sections of the route and improve the road layout. The B714 will remain a single carriage however the road would be widened and environmental enhancements will also be delivered as part of the programme. The direct connection also has the potential to divert a significant volume of traffic accessing the A78 away from Kilwinning.

The proposals would see the programme delivered in two phases with phase one including a re-alignment of a 3.5km section of the B714 between Girthill Farm and a proposed roundabout on Kilwinning Road. The second phase would include improvements from Girthill Farm to the A78 Sharphill Roundabout.

North Ayrshire Council was informed in 2021 that it had successfully bid for £23.7m funding as part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The Government further confirmed its commitment to the project in July 2025 as part of its Spending Review.

Tenders were issued and, following the evaluation process, the preferred bidder is Will Bros Civil Engineering Ltd. The final tender prices have now been incorporated into the Full Business Case.

The overall estimated project cost, allowing for contingency and wider project costs, has been confirmed as £34.45m, with £23.7m coming from the Levelling Up Fund and North Ayrshire Council meeting the balance.