The Strategic Timber Transport fund has awarded the Ayrshire Roads Alliance with £770,000 of funding.

The grant will contribute to road improvements on agreed timber transport routes within East and South Ayrshire.

In East Ayrshire, improvements will be made to the B7036 and B7046 and will include the replacement of deck slab and the restoration of parapets on Burnton Bridge, with Barony Road also being resurfaced.

Improvements will also be made to large stretches of the B741 Dalmellington to New Cumnock road at a cost of £388,000.

Within South Ayrshire the A714 will be resurfaced at Shallowpark, Girvan to Glendrissaig and at Pinwherry Bents to Sixpence.

Leader of East Ayrshire Council, Councillor Douglas Reid, said: "I welcome the funding from the Strategic Timber Transport Fund which will allow the Ayrshire Roads Alliance to improve roads within East Ayrshire which are vital for transporting timber.

"The timber trade is an important part of our rural economy and it is essential that we continue to work with the Forestry Commission to support this growth industry. By improving the road network we can ensure that timber can be moved easily and in a sustainable way without impacting on our communities."

Portfolio holder for sustainability and the environment, Councillor Ian Cochrane, said: "Keeping the timber trade moving is an ongoing task, and this significant funding will help to restore a key rural road, leaving improvements for all.

"The lorries used to transport timber take a toll on our roads, something which makes regular maintenance vital, and which will now be directly addressed on the A714.

"This latest investment will breathe new life into a lifeline road in a move that will benefit both businesses and the community for years to come."