Irvine Valley roadworks disruption

Motorists travelling through the Irvine Valley are being urged to allow extra time for journeys this week, with a cluster of roadworks and temporary traffic restrictions in place in Galston, Darvel and Priestland.

According to the Ayrshire Roads Alliance’s live restrictions map, Galston is busiest, with three sets of works running at the same time. The A719 at Galston is under restriction from 8 October until 15 October, with Sunbelt Rentals Limited named as the applicant. A second restriction on the same road overlaps with it: a further stretch of the A719 at Galston, near the KA4 8PB postcode, is restricted from 12 October to 16 October on behalf of East Ayrshire Council.
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The A719 is the main link between Galston and Kilmarnock and the route south towards Ayr, so drivers using it at peak times should expect queues.

In the town centre, works at 95 Orchard Street, carried out for Total Resources (UK) Ltd, have been in place since 5 October and are due to run until 19 October.
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Further up the valley, Darvel residents face disruption on the main road through the town. Restrictions at 147 East Main Street in Darvel, on behalf of Coneworx Ltd, began on 12 October and are scheduled to continue until 23 October. As East Main Street carries the A71, the works sit on the valley’s principal route east towards Strathaven, and anyone commuting through the town over the next fortnight should plan accordingly.
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In Priestland, a longer-term restriction on the C135 has been in place since 20 April 2026 and runs until 20 April 2027. That order covers a year-long window, and works under such orders typically take place only when signs are displayed on site.
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The new activity follows recent work on the A71 at Priestland itself. East Ayrshire Council made an order to allow the installation of a puffin crossing on the A71 and Loudoun Avenue, Priestland, with waiting restrictions that the roads map listed as running from 14 September 2026 to 12 October 2026.

Drivers leaving the valley may also run into works just beyond it. At 14 Main Road, Crookedholm, restrictions for Glenmavis Traffic Management Ltd run from 13 to 19 October, affecting the old road between Hurlford and Kilmarnock. To the south, the B743 at Sorn is restricted from 13 to 26 October on behalf of Coneworx Ltd, alongside a separate restriction at Chapel Brae, Sorn, running over the same period.

None of the restrictions involve a full closure of the A71 through the valley, but with several sets of works overlapping in Galston and the main street in Darvel affected, delays at busy times are likely. Schedules for works like these can change at short notice depending on weather and progress on site.

Up-to-date details of every restriction, including maps and public notices, are published on the Ayrshire Roads Alliance’s RoadsOnline map, which is updated daily. Queries can be sent to the Alliance, which is based at the Opera House, 8 John Finnie Street, Kilmarnock, and can be emailed at enquiries@ayrshireroadsalliance.org.

Sources:

Ayrshire Roads Alliance – RoadsOnline live restrictions map
Public Notice Portal – A71 & Loudoun Avenue, Priestland order
Public Notice Portal – Galston and Newmilns closure notice (ARA contact details)