A PLEA from Sorn Community Council has been heard by East Ayrshire Council and Ayrshire Roads Alliance (ARA).

Residents and motorists have been concerned at the lack of road markings in the area and the community council had called on East Ayrshire to take action.

Some roads are due to be resurfaced but ARA have stepped in and painted temporary markings – even through potholes – to help motorists stay safe on the roads.

Sorn Community Council chairman Bill Morton said: “Various road markings in the area have been obliterated through wear and tear. They are a safety item.

“This was a concern for Sorn Community Council and for motorist. Our main concern was the B713 Catrine to Sorn road.

“We met with the council about two weeks ago and discussed a number of items including the road markings. This is a problem we’ve been highlighting for a while.”

Stewart Turner, head of ARA, explained that it was important to act on the community’s concerns.

He said: “The section of road near Sorn is one of those areas due for resurfacing announced in last week’s council budget and new white lines would have been marked once work was complete.

“However, local residents contacted us about not being able to see the edge, or centre of the road at night, and they asked if we could find a way to address this, rather than wait for resurfacing work to begin.

“We acted on those concerns and temporary lines have been marked on the road surface, which included areas due for repair.

“I can understand why some might misunderstand this action, but once the resurfacing work is complete, wider, permanent lines will be painted onto the new road surface.”

ARA have been out across East Ayrshire in preparation for resurfacing works across the county.

Mr Turner added: “As advised in the budget last week, local residents and road users are now seeing our teams out and about, assessing roads for repair, as we work to resurface 55 road surfaces.

“In some areas while the teams are already there, they are putting down temporary markings in response to local concerns about the centre and edges of roads not being visible in the dark, prior to the road being resurfaced.

“This is very much a temporary safety measure and some markings do go through potholes and areas for repair. I can understand why some might misunderstand this, but new, permanent lines will be laid once the road surface has been replaced.”