Transport Scotland have revealed that their speed aware traffic lights in Fairlie are triggered hundreds of times a day.

Members of Fairlie Community Council are continuing to press for improvements to the pilot facility in Fairlie, which was launched in April 2015 at The Causeway junction in the village.

In April 2015, Transport Scotland introduced the lights which turn red if a car is speeding through the village, with sensors placed on the road, picking up the speed. Intelligent road studs served a dual purpose and were used to monitor the number of vehicles running the red light.

Fears continue to be raised by the community council that red lights are being jumped when cars are attempting to exit The Causeway with occasional near misses.

Concerns include lights being triggered to red by cars travelling under the 30mph limit, and cars jumping the red light causing 'safer' drivers to be stopped.

Residents in The Causeway have found that the exit is now taking two to three times longer than previously to exit on a number of occasions.

Fairlie Community Council secretary Karla Tully said: "Fairlie residents would like camera monitoring at the traffic lights and other points on the A78 throughout the village to lead to drivers speeding or jumping lights being prosecuted. The police do not seem to have any data from the camera feeds in place, or be aware of future plans.

"There are still no signs at either end of the village before the 30 mph stating that there is speed monitoring and/or traffic lights which are speed activated."

Fairlie Community Council have forwarded these concerns to Cunninghame North MSP Kenneth Gibson.

George Henry, Road Safety Manager, Transport Scotland, said: "Influencing driver behaviour, by whatever available methods, even by something as simple as word of mouth, is the cornerstone to the success of any road safety intervention. Transport Scotland will continue monitoring the system for detection of the red light runners.

"Additional works for this location with further changes to the calibration has been carried out, along with continual speed monitoring. This summer, we will be synchronising cameras with the controller so that they can pinpoint the exact drivers who are showing as running the red lights.

"It is also planned to install permanent speed detection units in the carriageway at selected survey locations to provide all round monitoring of the speed profile."

A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: “The speed activated traffic light system in Fairlie has been introduced alongside a variety of safety measures to improve driver behaviour by reducing vehicle speeds along the A78.

“The system has been monitored since its introduction and initial analysis suggest that it has had a positive effect. We hold regular meetings with the community so that they can raise any concerns they have with us.

"We have not been made aware of the lights triggering people driving under 30 mph. It is more than likely that it has been triggered by someone travelling in the opposite direction who has been travelling above the speed limit. Scotland Transerv have asked their traffic signal contractor to review the motion vehicle detector on The Causeway."

In relation to the reported near misses at The Causeway, the spokesperson said: "There were initial comments raised when the scheme went live but they diminished after we went back to the community with our first monitoring report. We are planning on meeting with the community again in the near future to enable them to raise any concerns with us."