THE B741 from New Cumnock is pitted with potholes and is in an 'atrocious condition’.

And the Burnfoot Bridge is in 'a bad way.’ That’s what one road user has said about the main route from the village to Dalmellington.

The B741 is a favourite among motorcyclists, with one irate bike rider, Neil MacQuarrie, saying: “Either side of the road is in atrocious condition. The only safe way to travel on the road is by driving straight down the middle of it which poses a whole new danger.

“It is full of deep potholes and tram lines down each side. It’s only a matter of time until there’s a bad accident unless work is done on it.

“The council come and they pack the potholes with grit, but as soon as the lorries come down the road we’re left with big potholes again, it’s lucky to last a week after they say it’s been fixed.” He added: “The Burnfoot bridge is in a bad way. One side has come down and there are barriers but all that does is make the bridge narrower, it’s only a matter of time until something happens to the other side of the bridge.

To me, the council are basically saying they won’t fix the bridge until there are others to be fixed and it’s worth their while and we’re really not happy about it.” The Burnfoot bridge was damaged earlier this year and recently the retaining wall collapsed after a vehicle hit it earlier this month.

A statement from The Ayrshire Roads Alliance said: “We can confirm that the downstream parapet of the Burnfoot bridge was damaged by a vehicle strike earlier in the month.

“Pending repairs, the Roads Maintenance Unit has installed temporary mass barriers and pedestrian fencing, cones and signage to protect pedestrians and vehicles from the unprotected edge of the bridge.

“The parapet will be repaired in due course as part of the extensive bridge improvement and repair programme currently underway.”