Works set to begin for A737 Dalry Bypass

A team of archaeologists will be working across the A737 Dalry Bypass site from Monday 6 February for around 10 weeks to investigate the site for historical Scottish artefacts.

Further works, including fencing and vegetation clearance, are also due to begin in the coming weeks.

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said:

“Transport Scotland is committed to ensuring archaeological assessments are undertaken on the sites of major infrastructure projects before the main construction works start. The development of a project such as the A737 Dalry Bypass enables archaeologists to study the site and remove any potential items of interest. This can be in the form of artefacts but soil samples can also provide a wealth of information about a site.

“The archaeological works on the A737 Dalry Bypass will start with around 10 archaeologists on site, with a further five people providing support and supervision. They will conduct a historic building survey, topographical surveys and photographic surveys, as well as evaluation trenching. Over the coming months, a report will be prepared and made available via the project website.

“We would also like to take the opportunity to inform the local community that the site of the A737 Dalry Bypass is now a construction site and that the only way they can ensure their own safety is to avoid the area.”

The A737 Dalry Bypass involves the construction of a new bypass to the east of Dalry and its associated junctions to connect with the existing A737 road. It will encourage improved economic and employment opportunities through better journey time reliability for motorists and businesses along the length of the A737. The Bypass will also separate long-distance traffic from local traffic, leading to improved safety for local road users and communities.