DRIVERS face an 80-mile diversion as major roadworks begin in New Cumnock next week.
From Thursday, August 4 until Friday, August 12, overnight improvement works will take place on the A76 between Lime Road and River Afton Bridge.
A full road closure between 8pm and 6am will take place each night.
The road will re-open as normal outwith these times.
Traffic will be diverted via the A702 at Carronbridge to Abington Services and will then follow the B7078 and A70 to Cumnock. From here, a local diversion will be in place for vehicles approaching New Cumnock from the south-west via the B741.
It means that, instead of accessing New Cumnock from the Kirkconnel side, drivers will be taken on an almost two-hour, 80-mile detour, to the other side of New Cumnock.
While this A76 closure is in place, additional works will be carried out at Polneul Cottage, west of Kirkconnel on the nights of Wednesday, August 10 and Thursday, August 11.
This work has been planned in consultation with Transport Scotland, Traffic Scotland, the emergency services, Ayrshire Roads Alliance, New Cumnock Community Council, local businesses and the local authorities.
The scheme, with a value of £161,000, aims to benefit around 2,800 vehicles using the route each day by improving the condition of the carriageway and reducing the need for further, more extensive work in the future.
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